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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 50 |
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 500 |
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 75 |
| PACKWOOD CREEK | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 200 |
| CAMERON CREEK | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 250 |
| OAKES DITCH | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 450 |
| OWENS RIVER | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 4,550 |
| LOWER MCNALLY CANAL | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 4,550 |
| WEST CORRAL DE PIEDRA CR | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 2,438 |
| BRIZZOLARA CREEK | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 500 |
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 2,260 |
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 600 |
| KERN ISLAND CANAL | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 3,659 |
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 470 |
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 150 |
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 150 |
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 540 |
| FRIANT-KERN CANAL | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 640 |
| SANTA YNEZ RIVER | California | Poor | 1949 | 77 | 3,000 |
| N FORK MATILIJA CREEK | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 950 |
| MEDEA CREEK | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 160,000 |
| VENDOME STREET | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 265,000 |
| GORMAN CREEK | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 35,890 |
| N&S110-S101 CONNECTOR RP | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 10,000 |
| N101-N&S110 CONNECTR RMP | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 8,000 |
| ROUTE 101 | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 68,510 |
| VIRGIL AVE | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 175,000 |
| VIRGIL AVE | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 175,000 |
| HOOVER STREET | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 175,000 |
| CORONADO STREET | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 175,000 |
| ROUTE 101 | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 5,000 |
| ROUTE 101 | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 4,200 |
| ROUTE 101 | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 3,500 |
| BEAUDRY AVE | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 265,000 |
| BEAUDRY AVE | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 69,401 |
| N110-N101 & S110-S101 | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 156,000 |
| ROUTE 110 | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 15,000 |
| ROUTE 110 | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 35,000 |
| I 110 101-110 CONNECTORS | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 175,000 |
| I 110 101-110 CONNECTORS | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 187,000 |
| FIGUEROA STREET | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 37,301 |
| FIGUEROA STREET | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 35,000 |
| FIGUEROA STREET | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 175,000 |
| FIGUEROA STREET | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 175,000 |
| ROUTE 101 | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 50,000 |
| BELL CREEK | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 42,000 |
| INTERSTATE 710 | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 25,000 |
| CHESEBRO CRK | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 160,000 |
| SAN GABRIEL RIV NF | California | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 1,960 |
| SAN GABRIEL RIV | California | Good | 1949 | 77 | 20,275 |
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.