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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHITE RIVER | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 550 |
| ALTA CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,050 |
| CAMERON CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 1,500 |
| KRAMER CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 280 |
| LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCT | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 3,200 |
| FIVE MILE CANYON | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 6,400 |
| SAN LUIS OBISPO CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 31,000 |
| PERFUMA CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 56,000 |
| SAN BERNARDO CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 18,700 |
| CHOLAME CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 130 |
| YERBA BUENA CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 100 |
| ROCKY CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 1,204 |
| SAN LUIS OBISPO CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 12,273 |
| SAN LUISITO CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 101 |
| MAIN DRAIN CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 9,000 |
| ISABELLA DRAIN | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 4,200 |
| CANE BRAKE CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 4,800 |
| LAKEVIEW WASH | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 11,800 |
| UP RR & GOLDEN STATE HWY | California | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 4,000 |
| GRANITE CANYON CREEK | California | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 930 |
| TEHACHAPI STORM DRAIN | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 3,706 |
| KERN ISLAND CANAL | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 5,594 |
| BODFISH CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 7,300 |
| BOREL CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 5,400 |
| KERN ISLAND CANAL | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 4,794 |
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 200 |
| UP RR & AMTRAK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 2,200 |
| JALAMA CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 417 |
| ALAMO PINTADO CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,686 |
| TEPUSQUET CREEK | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 181 |
| ZACA CREEK | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 3,000 |
| LANKERSHIM BLVD | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 253,014 |
| STATE ROUTE 103 | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 31,900 |
| TEMPLE STREET | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 270,000 |
| TEMPLE STREET | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 57,000 |
| TEMPLE STREET | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 76,801 |
| STATE ROUTE 110 & RAMPS | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 22,000 |
| UP RR | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 26,000 |
| CLASSIFICATION RD | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 26,500 |
| STATE ROUTE 110 | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 8,000 |
| ROUTE 101 | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 50,000 |
| SOTO STREET | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 139,000 |
| ST RTE 60 W/B | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 258,000 |
| MARIETTA STREET | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 258,000 |
| EUCLID AVE | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 258,000 |
| ROUTE 5 | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 5,500 |
| INDIANA STREET | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 256,000 |
| SILVER LAKE BLVD | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 265,000 |
| ROUTE 101 | California | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 265,000 |
| ROUTE 101 | California | Good | 1948 | 78 | 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.