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
POLK ST California Fair 1943 83 2,561
SULPHUR SPRING VALLEY CR California Good 1943 83 1,578
DONAHUE ST/N. BRIDGE BLD California Good 1943 83 106,000
PINE CANYON CR California Fair 1943 83 2,700
ARROYO SECO RIVER California Good 1943 83 640
SALINAS RIVER California Poor 1943 83 2,200
S BRANCH TULE RIVER California Fair 1943 83 980
N BRANCH TULE RIVER California Good 1943 83 980
ELK BAYOU California Good 1943 83 200
SOUTH BRANCH TULE RIVER California Fair 1943 83 275
WOOD CENTRAL DITCH California Fair 1943 83 100
POSO CREEK California Fair 1943 83 300
BRANCH CANYON California Poor 1943 83 4,500
SALISBURY CANYON California Fair 1943 83 4,500
UP RR & AMTRAK California Fair 1943 83 1,003
UP RR & AMTRAK California Fair 1943 83 371
CHESEBRO CYN CRK California Good 1943 83 1,479
DAY CANYON CHANNEL California Good 1943 83 226,300
ARLETTA DITCH California Poor 1943 83 502
CAHUILLA CREEK California Fair 1943 83 7,600
MTDB LRT BNSF RY & SDIV California Good 1943 83 19,075
CALLAN ROAD California Good 1943 83 21,800
WITHERBY STREET California Fair 1943 83 58,000
PACIFIC HIGHWAY California Good 1943 83 21,546
SCHOLDER CREEK California Good 1943 83 129
UNNAMED CREEK California Good 1943 83 696
MOOSA CANYON CREEK California Good 1943 83 6,100
MISSION KNOLL CREEK California Good 1943 83 22,900
ELK CREEK California Good 1944 82 21,500
HAWES GULCH California Fair 1944 82 3,380
ALBION RIVER California Poor 1944 82 2,100
SOUTH FORK EEL RIVER California Fair 1944 82 700
BASALT ROAD California Good 1944 82 24,500
SACRAMENTO RIVER SR 84 California Poor 1944 82 20,100
E37 - COLUMBUS PARKWAY California Good 1944 82 133,000
WEST CHANNEL ROAD California Good 1944 82 5,681
MT DIABLO CRK California Good 1944 82 7,200
SOUTH BRANCH MAIN CANAL California Fair 1944 82 21,900
LOVE CREEK California Fair 1944 82 5,000
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Fair 1944 82 58
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Fair 1944 82 2,505
MAXWELL CREEK California Fair 1944 82 120
FRIANT-MADERA CANAL California Good 1944 82 6,200
MADERA CANAL California Fair 1944 82 68
C & K CANAL California Fair 1944 82 1,880
3RD LIFT CANAL California Fair 1944 82 125
LEWIS CREEK California Good 1944 82 75
RAG GULCH California Fair 1944 82 8,500
SANTA YNEZ RIVER California Good 1944 82 9,900
LA RIV SCRRA UPRR AMTRAK California Fair 1944 82 92,500

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.