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
STRONGS CREEK California Fair 1949 77 11,988
REDWOOD CREEK California Fair 1949 77 250
SYDNEY GULCH California Fair 1949 77 1,946
BROWNS CREEK California Fair 1949 77 20
BURNEY CREEK California Good 1949 77 3,600
WEST BRANCH BURNEY CREEK California Good 1949 77 9,800
A.C.I.D. CANAL California Good 1949 77 3,830
PIT RIVER California Fair 1949 77 750
REEDS CREEK California Good 1949 77 1,500
SOUTH FORK COTTONWOOD CR California Good 1949 77 50
THOMES CREEK California Fair 1949 77 210
PAYNES CREEK California Fair 1949 77 600
E BR N FK FEATHER RIVER California Fair 1949 77 50
NAVARRO RIVER California Good 1949 77 1,100
NAVARRO RIVER California Poor 1949 77 418
MASONITE HAUL ROAD California Good 1949 77 8,701
FORSYTHE CREEK California Fair 1949 77 20,200
WILLOW CREEK California Poor 1949 77 928
PROVIDENT CANAL California Fair 1949 77 168
BUTTE CREEK California Fair 1949 77 12,054
BIG CHICO CREEK California Fair 1949 77 15,000
DURHAM MUTUAL DITCH California Poor 1949 77 130
CROSS CANAL California Fair 1949 77 18,750
UP RR BNSF RY & AMTRAK California Fair 1949 77 6,032
UP RR BNSF RY & AMTRAK California Fair 1949 77 6,032
RUSSIAN RIVER - JIMTOWN California Fair 1949 77 3,300
SONOMA CREEK California Good 1949 77 9,700
GREEN VALLEY CREEK California Good 1949 77 150
NAPA CREEK California Good 1949 77 33,500
TULUCAY CREEK California Good 1949 77 27,000
WILLOW SPRING CREEK California Good 1949 77 1,176
LEDGEWOOD CREEK California Good 1949 77 87,500
LEDGEWOOD CREEK California Good 1949 77 4,622
OLD ALAMO CREEK California Good 1949 77 352
SOUTH FORK PUTAH CREEK California Good 1949 77 1,279
THREE MILE SLOUGH California Fair 1949 77 14,300
PLACERVILLE RD OLD RR California Good 1949 77 41,500
SOUTH FORK JACKSON CREEK California Fair 1949 77 800
SAN PABLO CREEK California Fair 1949 77 552
DUTCH SLOUGH California Poor 1949 77 188
CALAVERAS RIVER California Fair 1949 77 35,500
STOCKTON DIVERTING CANAL California Fair 1949 77 83,000
STATE ROUTE 99 SB California Fair 1949 77 5,100
MORMON SLOUGH California Good 1949 77 87,000
STOCKTON CHANNEL California Poor 1949 77 7,000
MORMON SLOUGH California Good 1949 77 12,500
MURRAY CREEK California Good 1949 77 1,364
UTILITY TUNNEL & PUC California Fair 1949 77 265,000
ZAYANTE CREEK California Fair 1949 77 3,000
SAN LORENZO RIVER California Poor 1949 77 400

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.