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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N FK SAN ANTONIO CREEK | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 20 |
| CACHAGUA CREEK | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 720 |
| CACHAGUA CREEK | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 200 |
| WUTCHUMNA DITCH | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 1,900 |
| TULE RIVER | California | Good | 1945 | 81 | 540 |
| LAKELAND CANAL | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 470 |
| LAKELAND CANAL | California | Good | 1945 | 81 | 200 |
| PORTER SLOUGH | California | Good | 1945 | 81 | 200 |
| ELK BAYOU | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 50 |
| INSIDE CREEK | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 950 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK | California | Good | 1945 | 81 | 100 |
| LITTLE DIXIE WASH | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 1,200 |
| AIRPORT WASH | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 2,050 |
| CARNEROS CREEK | California | Good | 1945 | 81 | 65,000 |
| SAN ANTONIO CREEK | California | Good | 1945 | 81 | 2,300 |
| PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 26,000 |
| STORM DRN #130 | California | Good | 1945 | 81 | 23,108 |
| LAS FLORES CRK | California | Poor | 1945 | 81 | 102 |
| LYTLE CREEK CHANNEL | California | Good | 1945 | 81 | 21,500 |
| LYTLE CAJON CHANNEL | California | Good | 1945 | 81 | 13,562 |
| LYTLE CAJON CHANNEL | California | Good | 1945 | 81 | 12,648 |
| LYTLE CAJON CHANNEL | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 6,000 |
| COACHELLA CANAL WSTWY 1 | California | Good | 1945 | 81 | 2,700 |
| WASHINGTON STREET | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 5,500 |
| JIM GREEN CREEK | California | Good | 1945 | 81 | 252 |
| COUNTY RD & RR | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 20 |
| BELLOMA SLOUGH | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 11 |
| CUNNINHAM SLOUGH | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 11 |
| SLOUGH | California | Poor | 1945 | 81 | — |
| CONTRA COSTA CANAL | California | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 75 |
| OREGON DRAIN | California | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 655 |
| LONG VALLEY CREEK | California | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 5,500 |
| LONG VALLEY CREEK | California | Good | 1946 | 80 | 5,500 |
| TAYLORS WASH | California | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 36,000 |
| DOOLEY CREEK | California | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 4,800 |
| BLUE SLIDE GULCH | California | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 830 |
| GLENN-COLUSA CANAL | California | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 72 |
| KELSEY CREEK | California | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 3,502 |
| CORTINA CREEK OVERFLOW | California | Good | 1946 | 80 | 33,000 |
| NOBO DRAW | California | Good | 1946 | 80 | 5,274 |
| ABANDONED UP RR SPUR | California | Good | 1946 | 80 | 41,750 |
| SUTTER STREET | California | Good | 1946 | 80 | 41,750 |
| WALSH ST | California | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 59,000 |
| FRANZ CREEK | California | Poor | 1946 | 80 | 350 |
| BRANCH WINDSOR CREEK | California | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 1,500 |
| BRETONA CREEK | California | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 1,460 |
| GIBSON CANYON CREEK | California | Good | 1946 | 80 | 61,500 |
| SWEENEY CREEK | California | Good | 1946 | 80 | 12,000 |
| HORSE CREEK | California | Good | 1946 | 80 | 61,500 |
| HORSE CREEK | California | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 16,750 |
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.