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
WINTERS CANAL California Good 1950 76 146
PENNSYLVANIA CREEK California Fair 1950 76 1,621
PUTAH SOUTH CANAL California Good 1950 76 20,190
BROWNS CREEK California Poor 1950 76 2,311
MAGPIE CREEK California Good 1950 76 2,000
RINGOLD CREEK California Fair 1950 76 857
HANGTOWN CREEK California Fair 1950 76 9,000
SUTTER CREEK California Fair 1950 76 1,734
SAN ANSELMO CREEK California Poor 1950 76 55
GALLINAS CREEK California Good 1950 76 8,738
COYOTE CREEK TRIBUTARY California Fair 1950 76 70
AYO CORTE MADERA DEL PRE California Good 1950 76 3,000
UNNAMED CREEK California Fair 1950 76 400
GALINDO CREEK California Poor 1950 76 450
SAN RAMON CREEK California Poor 1950 76 2,800
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Poor 1950 76 150
ITALIAN SLOUGH California Fair 1950 76 100
CONTRA COSTA CANAL California Good 1950 76 1,873
KIRKER CREEK California Fair 1950 76 10,610
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Fair 1950 76 1,439
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Fair 1950 76 2,165
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Poor 1950 76 471
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Fair 1950 76 400
INDIAN CREEK California Fair 1950 76 1,567
CLARKS FK STANISLAUS RIV California Fair 1950 76 99
STATE ROUTE 77 California Fair 1950 76 1,200
DRY CREEK California Good 1950 76 10,300
ARROYO VIEJO California Fair 1950 76 46,294
SAN LORENZO CREEK California Good 1950 76 3,400
STATE RTE 1 (SPANS 4&5) California Fair 1950 76 12,666
280/101 IC - ALEMANY CIR California Fair 1950 76 234,000
CORTLAND AVENUE California Fair 1950 76 234,000
SB101 BAYSHORE OFF-RAMP California Fair 1950 76 12,200
ALEMANY CIR UC (NBD O-R) California Fair 1950 76 6,000
SAN FRANCISQUITO CREEK California Fair 1950 76 16,957
BEAR GULCH CREEK California Fair 1950 76 7,137
BELMONT CREEK California Good 1950 76 4,592
MILLS CREEK California Fair 1950 76 18,000
BIG CREEK California Poor 1950 76 500
SAN LORENZO RIVER California Fair 1950 76 400
SHINGLE MILL GULCH California Poor 1950 76 500
HARKINS SLOUGH California Poor 1950 76 6,000
UP AMTRAK & PRIVATE RD California Good 1950 76 26,000
MILLER SLOUGH California Good 1950 76 10,617
DRY CREEK & MORTON ST California Fair 1950 76 16,738
WESTLEY WASTEWAY California Fair 1950 76 987
NEWMAN WASTEWAY California Fair 1950 76 276
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER California Good 1950 76 3,650
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Fair 1950 76 8,200
DELTA-MENDOTA CANAL California Fair 1950 76 12,425

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.