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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCID MAIN CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 4,087 |
| OLIVER CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 3,725 |
| DELONG CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 3,725 |
| BEAR CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 350 |
| BEAR CREEK | California | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 130 |
| MIAMI CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 8,900 |
| SAN JOAQUIN RIV OVRFLOW | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 4,311 |
| MADERA CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 25 |
| MADERA CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 285 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 189 |
| DRY CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 450 |
| DRY CREEK | California | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 68 |
| GOLDEN STATE BLVD | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 2,137 |
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 6,000 |
| MILL DITCH | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 3,200 |
| SELMA BRANCH C & K CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,500 |
| MILL DITCH | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 19,549 |
| MILL DITCH | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 13,021 |
| LIBERTY MILLRACE CANAL | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 400 |
| FANCHER CREEK CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,180 |
| FRESNO CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 350 |
| MURPHY SLOUGH | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 200 |
| GRANT CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 120 |
| TRAVERS CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,500 |
| FOWLER SWITCH CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 500 |
| LOS GATOS CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 200 |
| LOS GATOS CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 200 |
| LOS GATOS CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 100 |
| LOS GATOS CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 300 |
| HUGHES CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 1,000 |
| TEQUISQUITA CREEK | California | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 6,500 |
| PREWITT CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 2,000 |
| LEWIS CREEK | California | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 200 |
| LEWIS CREEK | California | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 200 |
| UP RR & AMTRAK | California | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 28,392 |
| EMPIRE # 2 CANAL | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 6,560 |
| KINGS RIVER | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 3,430 |
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 2,000 |
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,500 |
| OUTSIDE CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 930 |
| MIDDLE FORK TULE RIVER | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 950 |
| TULARE IRRIG DIST CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 2,450 |
| TULE RIVER | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 5,700 |
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 700 |
| TULE RIVER | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 470 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 900 |
| TULE RIVER | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 200 |
| WHITE RIVER | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 325 |
| PORTER SLOUGH | California | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 1,100 |
| DEER CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 350 |
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.