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
UNION SCHOOL SLOUGH California Good 1940 86 77
BRETONA CREEK California Good 1940 86 75
WILLOW SPRING CREEK California Fair 1940 86 160
OAT CREEK California Fair 1940 86 494
SLOUGH S7 California Good 1940 86 204
SLOUGH S3 California Good 1940 86 650
GORDON SLOUGH California Fair 1940 86 300
SOUTH FORK PUTAH CREEK California Good 1940 86 59,500
GEORGIANA SLOUGH California Fair 1940 86 252
HAGGINWOOD CREEK California Good 1940 86 13,699
CHICKEN RANCH SLOUGH California Good 1940 86 25,101
LAGUNA CREEK California Poor 1940 86 1,530
LAGUNA CREEK California Fair 1940 86 1,025
CHICKEN RANCH SLOUGH California Fair 1940 86 2,300
ARCADE CREEK California Good 1940 86 22,851
MORRISON CREEK California Fair 1940 86 3,795
N FORK COSUMNES RIVER California Fair 1940 86 4,491
CANYON CREEK California Poor 1940 86 250
HANGTOWN CREEK California Fair 1940 86 2,100
JACKSON CREEK California Good 1940 86 9,200
WILLOW CREEK California Fair 1940 86 225
SAN ANSELMO CREEK California Fair 1940 86 14,000
PINE CREEK California Fair 1940 86 32,500
KELLOGG CREEK California Fair 1940 86 13,637
WILDCAT CREEK California Good 1940 86 13,993
ARROYO DEL HAMBRE California Good 1940 86 3,000
SAN RAMON CREEK California Fair 1940 86 16,200
ARROYO DEL HAMBRE California Poor 1940 86 3,000
OIL REFINERY PIPE UC California Fair 1940 86 4,386
CONTRA COSTA CANAL California Good 1940 86 5,000
SSJID CANAL California Fair 1940 86 545
SIX MILE CREEK California Good 1940 86 6,500
FRENCH GULCH California Fair 1940 86 84
SAN DOMINGO CREEK California Fair 1940 86 84
ANGELS CREEK California Fair 1940 86 1,032
WEST FORK CARSON RIVER California Fair 1940 86 2,150
EAST FORK CARSON RIVER California Fair 1940 86 490
MIDDLE FK STANISLAUS RIV California Fair 1940 86 99
ALGERINE CREEK California Fair 1940 86 263
SONORA CREEK California Fair 1940 86 3,000
ARROYO MOCHO California Good 1940 86 40,300
LION CREEK California Good 1940 86 20,904
ARROYO DEL VALLE California Poor 1940 86 19,250
POMPONIO CREEK California Fair 1940 86 6,100
BEAN CREEK California Good 1940 86 1,500
SAN LORENZO RIVER California Fair 1940 86 300
LITTLE CREEK California Good 1940 86 240
LOMPICO CREEK California Fair 1940 86 2,000
LOMPICO CREEK California Poor 1940 86 500
HILLSIDE California Fair 1940 86 78,000

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.