Historic Bridges
94,381 bridges built before 1951 across the United States still in service today.
Bridges Built Before 1951
The United States has 94,381 bridges 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.
| Bridge | State | Condition | Year Built | Age (Years) | ADT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PENNYPACK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1697 | 329 | 16,267 |
| WATER IPSWICH RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1764 | 262 | 26,250 |
| WATER NEPONSET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1765 | 261 | 32,845 |
| COOKS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1777 | 249 | 1,404 |
| GULPH MILLS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1789 | 237 | 5,486 |
| STONY BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1792 | 234 | 11,724 |
| SKIPPACK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1792 | 234 | 14,242 |
| NEWTOWN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1796 | 230 | 4,254 |
| MILLSTONE RIVER | New Jersey | Poor | 1798 | 228 | 24 |
| PERKIOMEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1798 | 228 | 11,474 |
| Genetta Ditch | Alabama | Poor | 1800 | 226 | — |
| Genetta Ditch | Alabama | Good | 1800 | 226 | — |
| Genetta Ditch | Alabama | Fair | 1800 | 226 | — |
| Genetta Ditch | Alabama | Fair | 1800 | 226 | — |
| Genetta Ditch | Alabama | Good | 1800 | 226 | — |
| Genetta Ditch | Alabama | Good | 1800 | 226 | — |
| Genetta Ditch | Alabama | Good | 1800 | 226 | — |
| Genetta Ditch | Alabama | Fair | 1800 | 226 | — |
| Genetta Ditch | Alabama | Fair | 1800 | 226 | — |
| Unamed Branch | Alabama | Fair | 1800 | 226 | 15 |
| Jernigan Mill CRK | Alabama | Fair | 1800 | 226 | 10 |
| MILL CREEK | New York | Good | 1800 | 226 | 735 |
| Tacony Creek | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1801 | 225 | 50 |
| NOCKAMIXON CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1804 | 222 | 100 |
| PIGEON CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1804 | 222 | 406 |
| EAST BR.BRANDYWINE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1807 | 219 | 7,057 |
| LITTLE FALLS | Maryland | Fair | 1809 | 217 | 499 |
| DARBY CREEK / 3476-F8 | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1810 | 216 | 5,835 |
| SANDY RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1810 | 216 | 9,087 |
| SHERMAN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1810 | 216 | 25 |
| BLACKSTONE RIVER | Rhode Island | Good | 1810 | 216 | 2,958 |
| LEHIGH RIVER | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1812 | 214 | 100 |
| Little Wheeling Creek | West Virginia | Fair | 1817 | 209 | 7,600 |
| GRASSY CREEK | West Virginia | Good | 1817 | 209 | 50 |
| CONEWAGO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1820 | 206 | 650 |
| CONOCOCHEAGUE CREEK W BR | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1820 | 206 | 150 |
| Wissahickon Creek | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1820 | 206 | 12,200 |
| BEAVERDAM CREEK | Virginia | Good | 1820 | 206 | 2,060 |
| WATER ASSONET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1822 | 204 | 14,094 |
| BEDENS BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1822 | 204 | 1,863 |
| PIKE RUN | New Jersey | Fair | 1822 | 204 | 989 |
| ANTIETAM CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1823 | 203 | 6,082 |
| WATER MERRIMACK CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1823 | 203 | 18,000 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1824 | 202 | 2,592 |
| ANTIETAM CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1824 | 202 | 778 |
| CEDAR CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1824 | 202 | 1,000 |
| MUDDY BRANCH | Vermont | Fair | 1824 | 202 | 10 |
| LITTLE RIVER | Virginia | Fair | 1824 | 202 | 9,058 |
| ROCK BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1825 | 201 | 903 |
| CATSKILL CREEK | New York | Fair | 1825 | 201 | 3,422 |
Historic Bridges by State
States ranked by number of bridges built before 1951 still in service.
| State | Historic Bridges | Oldest Year | Avg Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 8,191 | 1900 | 89 yrs |
| Pennsylvania | 6,062 | 1697 | 99 yrs |
| Kansas | 5,656 | 1870 | 93 yrs |
| Oklahoma | 5,554 | 1900 | 89 yrs |
| Missouri | 4,522 | 1874 | 96 yrs |
| California | 4,414 | 1860 | 91 yrs |
| New York | 3,831 | 1800 | 96 yrs |
| Ohio | 3,386 | 1828 | 101 yrs |
| Nebraska | 3,270 | 1888 | 91 yrs |
| Illinois | 3,065 | 1863 | 99 yrs |
| Iowa | 3,036 | 1876 | 98 yrs |
| Tennessee | 2,857 | 1841 | 89 yrs |
| Alabama | 2,703 | 1800 | 90 yrs |
| Indiana | 2,682 | 1838 | 98 yrs |
| Virginia | 2,504 | 1820 | 92 yrs |
| Kentucky | 2,241 | 1835 | 89 yrs |
| Arkansas | 1,932 | 1860 | 89 yrs |
| Georgia | 1,832 | 1872 | 88 yrs |
| New Jersey | 1,814 | 1792 | 99 yrs |
| Michigan | 1,528 | 1867 | 94 yrs |
| Massachusetts | 1,481 | 1764 | 107 yrs |
| Wisconsin | 1,333 | 1887 | 92 yrs |
| South Carolina | 1,282 | 1910 | 89 yrs |
| West Virginia | 1,245 | 1817 | 96 yrs |
| North Carolina | 1,203 | 1900 | 89 yrs |
| Arizona | 1,189 | 1900 | 90 yrs |
| Washington | 1,188 | 1900 | 92 yrs |
| South Dakota | 1,118 | 1900 | 92 yrs |
| Minnesota | 1,035 | 1884 | 94 yrs |
| Vermont | 987 | 1824 | 99 yrs |
| Maryland | 968 | 1809 | 99 yrs |
| Mississippi | 908 | 1900 | 87 yrs |
| Connecticut | 860 | 1832 | 96 yrs |
| Colorado | 857 | 1887 | 89 yrs |
| Oregon | 790 | 1899 | 92 yrs |
| New Mexico | 719 | 1908 | 87 yrs |
| New Hampshire | 716 | 1832 | 97 yrs |
| Florida | 707 | 1900 | 87 yrs |
| North Dakota | 685 | 1885 | 91 yrs |
| Montana | 662 | 1881 | 90 yrs |
| Maine | 630 | 1854 | 92 yrs |
| Louisiana | 614 | 1908 | 87 yrs |
| Puerto Rico | 463 | 1842 | 95 yrs |
| Hawaii | 386 | 1900 | 95 yrs |
| Idaho | 354 | 1908 | 90 yrs |
| Utah | 217 | 1905 | 88 yrs |
| Wyoming | 191 | 1908 | 88 yrs |
| Rhode Island | 179 | 1810 | 107 yrs |
| Delaware | 122 | 1839 | 99 yrs |
| Nevada | 89 | 1900 | 89 yrs |
| District of Columbia | 81 | 1831 | 94 yrs |
| Alaska | 37 | 1910 | 86 yrs |
| Virgin Islands | 5 | 1904 | 112 yrs |
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.