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
OREGON CREEK California Good 1860 166 60
NAPA CREEK California Fair 1860 166 5,972
BURGER CREEK California Fair 1888 138 137
WORKMAN WASH California Fair 1890 136 146
MISSION CREEK California Fair 1891 135 10,600
NAPA RIVER California Fair 1894 132 2,790
SOUTH YUBA RIVER California Fair 1895 131 71
IRWIN CREEK California Good 1895 131 129,000
CARNEROS CREEK California Fair 1896 130 1,959
MIDDLE CREEK California Fair 1900 126 135
LOS MOLINOS CREEK California Fair 1900 126 6,800
STONY CREEK California Fair 1900 126 11
MUD CREEK California Fair 1900 126 744
N FK AMERICAN RIVER California Fair 1900 126 125
HEADER DRAW California Fair 1900 126 2,650
SONOMA CREEK California Good 1900 126 550
CALABAZAS CREEK California Fair 1900 126 500
LAKE CHABOT CREEK California Good 1900 126 33,600
REDWOOD RD FLD CNTRL CH California Good 1900 126 29,900
PILARCITOS CREEK California Poor 1900 126 2,350
BEAR CREEK California Fair 1900 126 500
SAN MATEO CREEK California Fair 1900 126 1,000
SAN MATEO CREEK California Fair 1900 126 1,000
LOS GATOS CREEK California Good 1900 126 43,000
T.I.D. CERES MAIN CANAL California Fair 1900 126 2,500
CENTRAL CANAL California Fair 1900 126 15,202
SAN YSIDRO DITCH California Good 1900 126 52,000
TRAMWAY California Good 1900 126 50
DRY CREEK California Fair 1901 125 220
LITTLE WOLF CREEK California Good 1901 125 1,075
BLOSSOM CREEK California Fair 1901 125 2,775
SAN LEANDRO CREEK California Fair 1901 125 25,000
SAN MATEO CREEK California Fair 1901 125 3,630
TRINITY RIVER California Good 1902 124 751
GARNETT CREEK California Poor 1902 124 12,000
YORK CREEK California Good 1902 124 20,000
WOODS CREEK California Fair 1902 124 11,500
SAN MATEO CREEK California Fair 1902 124 230
SARATOGA CREEK California Fair 1902 124 2,450
DEEP RAVINE NO 2 California Poor 1903 123 50
YORK CREEK California Fair 1903 123 1,500
STANISLAUS RIVER California Fair 1903 123 53,500
WEST UNION CREEK California Fair 1903 123 6,600
CORDILLERAS CREEK California Fair 1903 123 5,000
BUTTE CREEK California Fair 1904 122 48
SOUTH YUBA RIVER California Poor 1904 122 143
NAPA CREEK California Good 1904 122 15,691
GARNETT CREEK California Poor 1904 122 162
NAPA CREEK California Good 1904 122 1,446
SAN MATEO CREEK California Fair 1904 122 10,000

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.