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
YERBA BUENA CREEK California Good 1950 76 100
ATASCADERO CREEK California Fair 1950 76 3,500
TORO CREEK California Fair 1950 76 262
SEE CANYON CREEK California Fair 1950 76 30
SAN SIMEON CREEK TRIB California Fair 1950 76 30
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1950 76 59,000
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1950 76 7,700
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Good 1950 76 1,450
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Fair 1950 76 660
KERN ISLAND CANAL California Fair 1950 76 4,133
GRAPEVINE CREEK California Good 1950 76 100
EAST SIDE CANAL California Fair 1950 76 4,300
FRIANT-KERN CANAL California Good 1950 76 1,650
EAST SIDE CANAL California Good 1950 76 300
MISSION CREEK California Fair 1950 76 18,200
SAN JOSE CREEK California Fair 1950 76 50
ARROYO LAS POSAS California Good 1950 76 3,100
SHEKELL WASH California Good 1950 76 2,400
J STREET DRAIN California Good 1950 76 2,000
J STREET DRAIN California Good 1950 76 1,000
OXNARD WEST DRAIN California Good 1950 76 2,740
ROUTE 5 California Fair 1950 76 2,820
ROUTE 5 California Fair 1950 76 52,020
BROADWAY-N101 ON-RAMP California Good 1950 76 15,000
GLENDALE BLVD California Fair 1950 76 265,000
ROUTE 101 California Good 1950 76 14,000
ROUTE 101 California Good 1950 76 50,000
ROUTE 101 California Good 1950 76 16,000
HELIOTROPE DR California Good 1950 76 175,000
MELROSE AVE California Good 1950 76 175,000
MELROSE AVE California Fair 1950 76 117,500
NORMANDIE AVE California Fair 1950 76 175,000
ROUTE 101 California Fair 1950 76 37,500
U.S. HIGHWAY 101 California Fair 1950 76 48,000
1ST STREET California Good 1950 76 270,000
2ND STREET California Good 1950 76 270,000
S101-LOS ANGELES ST OFF California Good 1950 76 16,000
US 101 ON-RAMP California Good 1950 76 16,000
KENMORE AVE SD California Good 1950 76 154,000
COMPTON CRK California Fair 1950 76 18,631
COYOTE CRK California Good 1950 76 3,556
LIVE OAK WASH California Good 1950 76 23,192
UPRR California Fair 1950 76 9,476
PALO VERDE STORM DN California Good 1950 76 29,786
EATON WASH California Fair 1950 76 9,042
LOS ANGELES RIV California Fair 1950 76 26,141
LOS ANGELES RIV California Fair 1950 76 26,141
LITTLE DALTON WASH California Fair 1950 76 7,100
LIVE OAK WASH California Good 1950 76 12,240
LIVE OAK WASH California Good 1950 76 667

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.