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
LOMPICO CREEK California Poor 1949 77 2,000
CARNADERO CREEK California Fair 1949 77 26,000
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Fair 1949 77 150
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Good 1949 77 675
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Poor 1949 77 2,184
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Fair 1949 77 1,216
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Fair 1949 77 6,580
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Good 1949 77 124
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Fair 1949 77 50
SALT SLOUGH California Fair 1949 77 105
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Fair 1949 77 453
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Fair 1949 77 50
BERENDA CREEK California Fair 1949 77 56,000
LIBERTY DITCH California Fair 1949 77 1,600
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 200
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Fair 1949 77 1,240
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 600
MURPHY SLOUGH California Good 1949 77 500
GRANT CANAL California Fair 1949 77 100
WAHTOKE CREEK California Fair 1949 77 200
C & K CANAL California Fair 1949 77 600
LOS GATOS CREEK California Good 1949 77 200
PAJARO RIVER California Fair 1949 77 10,600
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 12,900
TULE RIVER OVERFLOW #1 California Good 1949 77 21,500
TULE RIVER OVERFLOW #2 California Good 1949 77 21,500
N BRANCH TULE RIVER California Poor 1949 77 21,500
ELK BAYOU California Fair 1949 77 23,500
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 4,800
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 5,500
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 6,975
PEOPLES DITCH California Good 1949 77 1,300
KAWEAH RIVER California Fair 1949 77 1,150
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Good 1949 77 665
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 1,100
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Good 1949 77 385
DEER CREEK California Fair 1949 77 3,700
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 4,290
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 965
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 510
HORSEMAN DITCH California Fair 1949 77 1,500
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 2,650
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 400
HICKMAN CREEK California Fair 1949 77 500
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 3,200
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 100
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 50
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 200
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 25
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1949 77 50

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.