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
UNNAMED WASH California Fair 1950 76 18,616
COMPTON CREEK California Good 1950 76 20,000
TUJUNGA WASH LAUREL CNYN California Good 1950 76 64,551
TUJUNGA WASH California Good 1950 76 31,600
LOS ANGELES RIVER California Good 1950 76 5,850
ALISO CREEK California Good 1950 76 41,691
TUJUNGA WASH California Good 1950 76 16,918
LOS ANGELES RIVER California Good 1950 76 18,649
SAWPIT WASH California Good 1950 76 16,799
SAWPIT WASH California Good 1950 76 2,705
DEL AMO BLVD CHAN California Good 1950 76 32,035
LOS ANGELES RIV California Good 1950 76 77,480
DAGGETT WATERWAY California Fair 1950 76 2,928
MOREY ARROYO 1 California Fair 1950 76 20,000
MOREY ARROYO 2 California Fair 1950 76 20,000
MISSION STORM DRAIN California Fair 1950 76 25,135
SANTA ANA RIVER California Fair 1950 76 140
DEL ROSA CHANNEL California Fair 1950 76 3,300
WILSON CREEK California Good 1950 76 1
MOJAVE RIVER California Fair 1950 76 405
SANTA ANA RIVER California Fair 1950 76 26
FEDERAL STORM CHANNEL California Good 1950 76 45,000
BREA CREEK CHANNEL California Fair 1950 76 1,205
COYOTE CREEK CHANNEL California Fair 1950 76 24,000
FULLERTON CREEK CHANNEL California Good 1950 76 25,000
SAN JOAQUIN CHANNEL California Good 1950 76 15,500
LANE CHANNEL California Good 1950 76 32,500
LANE CHANNEL California Good 1950 76 38,200
SAND CANYON CHANNEL California Good 1950 76 27,700
EAST GG-WINTERSBURG CHAN California Good 1950 76 30,000
EAST GG-WINTERSBURG CHAN California Good 1950 76 4,000
"D-10" CANAL California Good 1950 76 3,000
SANTA ANA RIVER California Good 1950 76 57,200
LA SIERRA CHANNEL California Fair 1950 76 24,000
DRY WASH California Good 1950 76 242
WHITEWATER RIVER California Poor 1950 76 8,700
ALMAR DITCH California Fair 1950 76 1,000
SAN PASQUAL CREEK California Good 1950 76 12,400
COTTONWOOD CREEK California Fair 1950 76 4,300
SAN ELIJO LAGOON TRIB California Good 1950 76 3,948
SO FORK KEYS CANYON California Good 1950 76 1,233
SAN PASQUAL VALLEY CREEK California Good 1950 76 3,000
BOLAS CREEK California Good 1950 76 47,900
SAN LUIS REY TRIBUTARY California Good 1950 76 250
ARROYO SALADA WASH TRIB California Good 1950 76 1,100
SAN FELIPE CREEK California Fair 1950 76 1,200
"X" DRAIN California Fair 1950 76 3,650
MARSHY WASH California Fair 1950 76 3,650
KUEHN DRAW WASH California Good 1950 76 3,650
CHICO WASH California Good 1950 76 3,650

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.