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
COYOTE CREEK California Fair 1940 86 150,000
STATE ROUTE 82 California Fair 1940 86 38,000
UNIVERSITY AVE California Fair 1940 86 22,000
LOS GATOS CREEK California Fair 1940 86 23,509
LLAGAS CREEK California Good 1940 86 1,710
LLAGAS CREEK California Good 1940 86 5,380
CALABAZAS CREEK California Fair 1940 86 5,000
LLAGAS CREEK California Good 1940 86 180
HUNTING HOLLOW CREEK California Good 1940 86 120
BEAR CREEK California Fair 1940 86 14,000
BEAR CREEK California Fair 1940 86 14,000
LIVINGSTON CANAL California Fair 1940 86 8,090
DUCK SLOUGH California Fair 1940 86 1,511
HIGH LINE CANAL California Fair 1940 86 1,177
HIGH LINE CANAL California Fair 1940 86 727
HIGH LINE CANAL California Fair 1940 86 610
HIGH LINE CANAL California Fair 1940 86 1,272
LATERAL #5 California Fair 1940 86 65
HIGH LINE CANAL California Fair 1940 86 125
HIGH LINE CANAL California Fair 1940 86 266
HIGH LINE CANAL California Fair 1940 86 110
HIGH LINE CANAL California Fair 1940 86 643
HIGH LINE CANAL California Fair 1940 86 263
LIVINGSTON CANAL California Fair 1940 86 448
ESCALADIAN CANAL California Fair 1940 86 86
ESCALADIAN CANAL California Fair 1940 86 123
CANAL CREEK California Fair 1940 86 477
DEANE CANAL California Fair 1940 86 40
LE GRAND CANAL California Good 1940 86 70
BEAR CREEK California Fair 1940 86 332
COLONY MAIN CANAL California Poor 1940 86 200
SOUTH DUTCHMAN CREEK California Good 1940 86 5,000
COTTONWOOD CREEK California Good 1940 86 6,200
HILDRETH CREEK California Good 1940 86 6,200
BERENDA CREEK California Fair 1940 86 50
WILLOW CREEK California Fair 1940 86 65
COTTONWOOD CREEK California Fair 1940 86 50
C & K CANAL California Fair 1940 86 900
JACALITOS CREEK California Fair 1940 86 290
RIVERDALE DITCH California Fair 1940 86 500
ENTERPRISE CANAL California Fair 1940 86 800
ENTERPRISE CANAL California Fair 1940 86 800
HOUGHTON CANAL California Fair 1940 86 700
FRESNO CANAL California Fair 1940 86 300
FOWLER SWITCH CANAL California Fair 1940 86 400
FRESNO CANAL California Fair 1940 86 200
MILL DITCH California Fair 1940 86 1,300
RIVERDALE DITCH California Poor 1940 86 200
HERNDON CANAL California Fair 1940 86 300
ALTA EAST BRANCH CANAL California Fair 1940 86 2,900

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.