Historic Bridges in California

4,414 bridges built before 1951 in California still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 4,414 bridges in California built before 1951 that remain in active service. These structures are 75+ years old — many predate modern engineering codes and were not designed for today's traffic volumes and vehicle weights. The average design life of a bridge is 50 years, making these aging structures a significant infrastructure concern.

Clear
Bridge State Condition Year Built Age (Years) ADT
BLACK BEAR CREEK California Fair 1940 86 120
INDIAN CREEK California Fair 1940 86 120
Coachella Canal Turnout California Good 1940 86 50
J CANAL California Fair 1940 86 380
ELK CREEK California Good 1940 86 565
PRICE CREEK California Fair 1940 86 118
BIG CREEK California Fair 1940 86 160
OLNEY CREEK California Fair 1940 86 23,000
SACRAMENTO RIVER California Fair 1940 86 234
CROWLEY GULCH California Good 1940 86 6,723
LUDWIG GULCH California Good 1940 86 3,206
ALICE CREEK California Good 1940 86 2,577
JANEEN CREEK California Fair 1940 86 50
CHURN CREEK California Fair 1940 86 200
WILLOW CREEK California Fair 1940 86 300
DEEP HOLE CREEK California Fair 1940 86 2,632
OLNEY CREEK California Fair 1940 86 200
ASH CREEK TRIBUTARY California Good 1940 86 200
SOUTH FORK BLUE TENT CRK California Fair 1940 86 19,500
BIGGS CREEK California Good 1940 86 36,500
MILL CREEK California Fair 1940 86 200
OAT CREEK California Good 1940 86 4,000
COYOTE CREEK California Fair 1940 86 6,000
RED BANK CREEK California Fair 1940 86 11,199
UNNAMED SLOUGH California Fair 1940 86 500
NEVADA CREEK California Poor 1940 86 50
JUDD CREEK California Fair 1940 86 154
EAST BURCH CREEK California Fair 1940 86 231
WEST BURCH CREEK California Good 1940 86 231
BUTT RESERVOIR SPILLWAY California Fair 1940 86 80
SPANISH CREEK California Fair 1940 86 60
ROBINSON CREEK California Fair 1940 86 7,350
RUSSIAN RIVER California Good 1940 86 4,800
RODEO CREEK California Fair 1940 86 860
NORTH FORK GUALALA RIVER California Poor 1940 86 97
SALT HOLLOW CREEK California Fair 1940 86 4,439
COLEMAN CREEK California Fair 1940 86 72
SACRAMENTO RIVER OVFL California Fair 1940 86 2,400
SALT CREEK California Good 1940 86 370
GLENN-COLUSA CANAL California Fair 1940 86 381
BUTTE CREEK California Fair 1940 86 93
WILLOW CREEK California Fair 1940 86 249
COLUSA DRAIN California Fair 1940 86 64
DRUMHELLER CANAL California Fair 1940 86 130
AFTON DRAIN California Fair 1940 86 207
HAMBRIGHT CREEK California Good 1940 86 373
DRAIN A California Good 1940 86 62
DEAD DOG DRAW California Good 1940 86 165
CORBIN CREEK California Fair 1940 86 563
STONY CREEK IRRG CANAL California Good 1940 86 1,448

About Historic Bridge Data

Bridges built before 1951 are classified as historic in this database. Many were designed to 1940s standards with lower load limits and narrower lanes. While FHWA requires regular inspections of all bridges regardless of age, older structures often require more frequent monitoring and rehabilitation investment.