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.
| Bridge | State | Condition | Year Built | Age (Years) | ADT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALTA EAST BRANCH CANAL | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 350 |
| JAMES BYPASS CANAL | California | Good | 1940 | 86 | 125 |
| DRY CREEK CANAL | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 506 |
| SAN JUAN CREEK | California | Good | 1940 | 86 | 700 |
| SAN JUAN CREEK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 500 |
| ARROYO DOS PICACHOS | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 1,200 |
| ARROYO DOS PICACHOS | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 500 |
| ARROYO DE LOS VIBORAS | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 1,500 |
| BIG SUR RIVER | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 4,050 |
| SALINAS RIVER | California | Good | 1940 | 86 | 210 |
| CACHAGUA CREEK | California | Good | 1940 | 86 | 720 |
| SPRECKELS CANAL | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 580 |
| GABILAN CREEK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 630 |
| N GABILAN CREEK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 630 |
| VINEYARD CANYON CREEK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 210 |
| MIDDLE BRANCH CROSS CRK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 2,268 |
| W BR LEMOORE CANAL | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 2,500 |
| LEMOORE CANAL | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 6,960 |
| LEMOORE CANAL | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 641 |
| DRY CREEK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 75 |
| BRUSH CREEK | California | Good | 1940 | 86 | 850 |
| NORTH BRANCH TULERIVER | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 250 |
| NORTH BRANCH TULE RIVER | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 75 |
| DEEP CREEK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 250 |
| MILL CREEK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 7,500 |
| WEST WALKER RIVER | California | Good | 1940 | 86 | 3,050 |
| OAK CREEK | California | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 50 |
| SAN LUIS OBISPO CREEK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 31,000 |
| LAS TABLAS CREEK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 93 |
| OLD CREEK | California | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 249 |
| OCEANO BEACH LAGOON | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 100 |
| SEE CANYON CREEK | California | Good | 1940 | 86 | 6,830 |
| SANTA MARGARITA CREEK | California | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 271 |
| RANCHITA CANYON CREEK | California | Good | 1940 | 86 | 529 |
| COTTONTAIL CREEK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 100 |
| HUASNA RIVER | California | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 401 |
| SANTA MARGARITA CREEK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 228 |
| WASP WASH | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 1,400 |
| EAST SIDE CANAL | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 3,877 |
| KERN ISLAND CANAL | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 4,402 |
| SAN YSIDRO CREEK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 2,110 |
| PIRU CREEK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 30,000 |
| SANTA PAULA CREEK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 4,500 |
| NORTH FORK MATILIJA CRK | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 50 |
| SANTA MONICA STORM DRAIN | California | Good | 1940 | 86 | 82,000 |
| US 101 & RPS | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 5,500 |
| PENA CANYON | California | Good | 1940 | 86 | 42,500 |
| ST RTE 110 & ARROYO SECO | California | Good | 1940 | 86 | 15,500 |
| STATE ROUTE 110 | California | Good | 1940 | 86 | 2,000 |
| STATE ROUTE 110 | California | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 17,000 |
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.