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
DRAIN A California Good 1950 76 395
WILSON CREEK California Good 1950 76 491
HAMILTON SLOUGH California Good 1950 76 11,050
ROCK CREEK California Good 1950 76 11,600
PENSTOCK UC California Good 1950 76 1,350
HAMILTON SLOUGH California Poor 1950 76 800
WILSON CREEK California Good 1950 76 300
WILSON CREEK California Fair 1950 76 948
LITTLE CHICO CREEK California Fair 1950 76 2,500
LIVE OAK SLOUGH California Fair 1950 76 110
MAIN DRAIN California Fair 1950 76 513
WESTERN CANAL California Fair 1950 76 80
SOUTH BRANCH CARMAN CRK California Poor 1950 76 670
MIDDLE BRANCH CARMAN CRK California Fair 1950 76 670
NORTH BRANCH CARMAN CRK California Poor 1950 76 670
WOODRUFF/ROCK CREEK California Fair 1950 76 75
ADOBE CREEK California Fair 1950 76 23
BARTLETT CREEK California Poor 1950 76 108
HUNTERS CREEK California Fair 1950 76 18
WILLOW CREEK California Fair 1950 76 30
SOUTH HONCUT CREEK California Fair 1950 76 150
BEAR RIVER California Good 1950 76 4,650
SOUTH WOLF CREEK California Fair 1950 76 146
PHEASANT CANAL California Poor 1950 76 55
SUTTER-BUTTE CANAL California Fair 1950 76 95
PLEASANT GROVE CR BRANCH California Fair 1950 76 790
YANKEE SLOUGH California Fair 1950 76 90
SUTTER-BUTTE CANAL California Poor 1950 76 43
SUTTER-BUTTE CNL S BRNCH California Poor 1950 76 690
SUTTER CO EXTENSION CNL California Fair 1950 76 509
ORCHARD CREEK California Fair 1950 76 8,724
MINERS RAVINE California Good 1950 76 12,779
MCKINNEY CREEK California Fair 1950 76 1,409
MCKINNEY CREEK California Fair 1950 76 1,409
BEAR CREEK California Fair 1950 76 450
WASHINGTON BLVD California Fair 1950 76 11,029
WASHINGTON BLVD California Good 1950 76 2,400
UP RR BNSF RY & AMTRAK California Fair 1950 76 785
YANKEE SLOUGH California Good 1950 76 16,800
BIG YANKEE SLOUGH California Good 1950 76 15,500
TYLERS DRAINAGE California Good 1950 76 21,000
HOBSON CREEK California Fair 1950 76 10,000
PORTER CREEK California Fair 1950 76 4,400
SANTA ROSA CREEK RSEVR California Fair 1950 76 4,000
LYNCH CREEK California Fair 1950 76 11,600
NO NAME CREEK California Fair 1950 76 615
MARIN CREEK California Fair 1950 76 3,200
SOUTH FORK GUALALA RIVER California Fair 1950 76 50
NAPA RIVER OVERFLOW California Fair 1950 76 161
ADAMS DITCH California Good 1950 76 23,500

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.