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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIMANTIC RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1868 | 158 | 8,300 |
| LITTLE SANDY RIVER | Kentucky | Fair | 1868 | 158 | 94 |
| ELLIS RIVER | Maine | Fair | 1868 | 158 | 259 |
| WATER FRENCH RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1868 | 158 | 12,630 |
| CROSSWICKS CREEK | New Jersey | Poor | 1868 | 158 | 3,122 |
| MUSCONETCONG RIVER | New Jersey | Poor | 1868 | 158 | 410 |
| CONNEAUT CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1868 | 158 | 100 |
| GRAND RIVER | Ohio | Good | 1868 | 158 | 657 |
| MANATAWNY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1868 | 158 | 255 |
| WILLIAMS RIVER | Vermont | Good | 1868 | 158 | 75 |
| LITTLE PIGEON CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1869 | 157 | 137 |
| OWENS CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1869 | 157 | 843 |
| WATER SOUTH RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1869 | 157 | 100 |
| WATER MUMFORD RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1869 | 157 | 8,166 |
| WATER SPICKET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1869 | 157 | 5,650 |
| PEMIGEWASSET RIVER | New Hampshire | Fair | 1869 | 157 | 1,584 |
| COLD RIVER | New Hampshire | Poor | 1869 | 157 | 164 |
| SOUTH BROOK | New Hampshire | Fair | 1869 | 157 | 500 |
| ASSUNPINK CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1869 | 157 | 7,875 |
| W BR DELAWARE RVR | New York | Fair | 1869 | 157 | 205 |
| MAIDEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1869 | 157 | 206 |
| SACONY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1869 | 157 | 113 |
| CHIQUES CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1869 | 157 | 750 |
| SAUGATUCK RIVER | Connecticut | Poor | 1870 | 156 | 12,400 |
| MILL BROOK | Connecticut | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 4,800 |
| TEN MILE RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 500 |
| MIDDLE RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 600 |
| WILDCAT Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 81 |
| WILDCAT Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 91 |
| TRIB. VERMILLION RIVER | Kansas | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 80 |
| WATER SUDBURY RIVER | Massachusetts | Poor | 1870 | 156 | 7,063 |
| WATER E BR NORTH RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 129 |
| WATER STEARNS RESERVOIR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 15,625 |
| WATER SUDBURY RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 14,300 |
| WATER BLACKSTONE CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 7,627 |
| WATER WARE RIVER | Massachusetts | Poor | 1870 | 156 | 15,517 |
| WATER STONY BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 400 |
| WATER STONY BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 3,400 |
| SOUTH BR RARITAN RIVER | New Jersey | Poor | 1870 | 156 | 403 |
| SPRUCE RUN | New Jersey | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 1,384 |
| MOSES KILL | New York | Good | 1870 | 156 | 5,069 |
| TRIB WHITES STORE | New York | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 65 |
| MEADOW PORT ARCH | New York | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 195 |
| BATTENKILL RR | New York | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 58 |
| BLIND BROOK | New York | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 118 |
| W BR DELAWARE RIVER | New York | Poor | 1870 | 156 | 295 |
| MUNIC.WALK(EX-RR TUNNEL) | Ohio | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 10,456 |
| LITTLE DARBY | Ohio | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 320 |
| SPAIN CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 430 |
| CONODOGUINET CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1870 | 156 | 248 |
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.