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
BURBANK WESTERN CHAN California Good 1949 77 36,252
BURBANK WESTERN CHAN California Good 1949 77 408
BURBANK WESTERN CHAN California Good 1949 77 510
SDBI 133 California Good 1949 77 28,620
116TH ST STORM DRN California Good 1949 77 43,918
MAHER CYN CR California Good 1949 77 2,550
NELSON CYN WASH California Good 1949 77 2,550
LA CIENEGA BLVD UC California Fair 1949 77 39,269
LOS ANGELES RIV California Fair 1949 77 21,518
BURBANK WESTERN CHAN California Good 1949 77 6,180
BURBANK WESTERN CHAN California Good 1949 77 3,570
EVANS WASH California Good 1949 77 102
SAN MRTNZ GRANDE CYN CRK California Good 1949 77 204
LOS ANGELES RIVER California Good 1949 77 20,856
SOUTH BRANCH BELL CREEK California Fair 1949 77 16,246
SEPULVEDA CHAN California Good 1949 77 23,963
STORM DRN #133 California Good 1949 77 612
HILLSIDE California Good 1949 77 1,160
ELDER GULCH California Fair 1949 77 10,900
EMPIRE CREEK California Good 1949 77 163,000
NOE WASH California Fair 1949 77 2,700
MECCA WASH California Fair 1949 77 2,700
LINCOLN DRAINAGE DITCH California Fair 1949 77 4,400
"C" CANAL California Good 1949 77 430
HAZY DITCH California Good 1949 77 8,601
REE LINE DITCH California Good 1949 77 4,961
SWEETWATER RIVER California Good 1949 77 3,200
AL BAHR DRIVE California Fair 1949 77 200
CASTELLANA ROAD California Fair 1949 77 10
SAN CLEMENTE CANYON California Good 1949 77 23,560
RAINBOW CREEK California Good 1949 77 4,725
CONDIT DITCH California Good 1949 77 1,200
BONDIT DITCH California Good 1949 77 1,200
EAST HIGHLINE CANAL California Fair 1949 77 560
Delta-Mendota Canal California Good 1949 77 5
ELK CREEK California Fair 1949 77 50
DUCK LAKE CREEK California Poor 1949 77 50
PINCHARD CREEK California Fair 1949 77 50
E.FK. OF N.FK. AMERICAN California Fair 1949 77 50
N. FK. OF N. FK AMER RIV California Poor 1949 77 50
WEST BRANCH MILL CREEK California Poor 1950 76 25
EAST FORK MILL CREEK California Fair 1950 76 10
FIRST GULCH California Fair 1950 76 10
EAST FORK MILL CREEK California Poor 1950 76 10
WEST BRANCH MILL CREEK California Poor 1950 76 10
BUMMER LAKE CREEK California Fair 1950 76 10
JANE CREEK California Fair 1950 76 5
ROCK CREEK California Poor 1950 76 10
EAST FORK MILL CREEK California Poor 1950 76 10
ASH CREEK California Fair 1950 76 23

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.