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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GILBERT CREEK | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 670 |
| SOUTH FORK PIT RIVER | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 2,000 |
| SALT CREEK | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 670 |
| TULE CREEK | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 670 |
| NORTH FORK BATTLE CREEK | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 120 |
| BAILEY CREEK | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 123 |
| SALT CREEK OVERFLOW | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 11,000 |
| PAYNES CREEK SLOUGH | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 19,500 |
| SAMSON SLOUGH | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 19,500 |
| EAST SAND SLOUGH | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 19,500 |
| LIGHTS CRK (DEADFALL BR) | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 345 |
| NORTH FORK FEATHER RIVER | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 960 |
| HILLSIDE ABOVE RIVER | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 95 |
| ALDER CREEK | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 1,800 |
| HARE CREEK | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 14,500 |
| SHERWOOD CREEK | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 139 |
| DRAIN A | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 6 |
| DRAIN DITCH | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 11 |
| LINDO CHANNEL | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 79 |
| HIGH GRAVITY LATERAL | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 274 |
| ROBINSON CREEK | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 5,700 |
| SAINT HELENA CREEK | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 7,000 |
| SAINT HELENA CREEK | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 8,300 |
| STONE CORRAL CREEK | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 268 |
| FEATHER RIVER K ST UP RR | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 48,000 |
| CACHE CREEK (STEVENS BR) | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 377 |
| DRY SLOUGH | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 121 |
| ALAMO CREEK | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 1,764 |
| STATE ROUTE 160 | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 6,000 |
| STATE ROUTE 51 | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 40,000 |
| STATE ROUTE 160 | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 5,000 |
| ARCADE CREEK | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 30,000 |
| LAGUNA CREEK | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 19,800 |
| BEAR SLOUGH | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 1,785 |
| SUITOR SLOUGH | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 1,821 |
| LINDEN LANE | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 173,000 |
| NOVATO CREEK | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 9,103 |
| LAGUNITAS CREEK | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 50 |
| LAGUNITAS CREEK | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 1 |
| SAN JOAQUIN RIVER 03 | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 37,500 |
| PARADISE CUT | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 143,000 |
| CALAVERAS RIVER | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 6,700 |
| MOKELUMNE RIVER | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 2,972 |
| DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 1,006 |
| BANTA-CARBONA IRR CANAL | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 495 |
| HOSPITAL CREEK | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 400 |
| HOSPITAL CREEK OVERFLOW | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 390 |
| SONORA CREEK | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 11,500 |
| CURTIS CREEK | California | Good | 1947 | 79 | 12,283 |
| ALAMEDA CR UPRR BNSF ACE | California | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 13,500 |
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.