Historic Bridges
94,376 bridges built before 1951 across the United States still in service today.
Bridges Built Before 1951
The United States has 94,376 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEWTOWN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1903 | 123 | 2,299 |
| BEAR CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 100 |
| HOGUE RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 100 |
| Culbertson Run | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 1,154 |
| EAST BR BRANDYWINE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 387 |
| AMTRAK RAILROAD | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1903 | 123 | — |
| AMTRAK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1903 | 123 | — |
| CATAWISSA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1903 | 123 | 120 |
| OVER CHURCH RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 2,771 |
| MOUNTAIN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1903 | 123 | 515 |
| BROWNS RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 60 |
| BIG SANDY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1903 | 123 | 10 |
| PERKIOMEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1903 | 123 | 600 |
| S. BR. OF ROARING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1903 | 123 | 250 |
| LITTLE SHAMOKIN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 50 |
| (S-C)SHAMOKIN VALLEY RR | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1903 | 123 | 50 |
| BUFFALO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 111 |
| SCHUYLKILL RIVER | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1903 | 123 | 20 |
| TWO MILE RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 123 |
| SNAKE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 75 |
| GAYLORD CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 50 |
| PIGEON CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 1,256 |
| WHEELING CREEK TRIB | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1903 | 123 | 10 |
| RACCOON CREEK TRIB | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 15 |
| RACCOON CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1903 | 123 | 80 |
| PIKE RUN | Pennsylvania | Good | 1903 | 123 | 300 |
| FRANKFORD CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1903 | 123 | 12,916 |
| SEPTA | Pennsylvania | Good | 1903 | 123 | 9,300 |
| PIGEON CREEK trib | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 150 |
| NORFOLK SOUTHERN R/R | Pennsylvania | Good | 1903 | 123 | 3,479 |
| CHEPACHET RIVER | Rhode Island | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 2,700 |
| BLACKSTONE RIVER | Rhode Island | Poor | 1903 | 123 | 13,424 |
| BLACKSTONE RIVER | Rhode Island | Poor | 1903 | 123 | 13,424 |
| INDIAN RUN BROOK | Rhode Island | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 1,954 |
| TURTLE CK | South Dakota | Poor | 1903 | 123 | 31 |
| BIG LAUREL CREEK | Tennessee | Poor | 1903 | 123 | 30 |
| BNSF & CSX RAILROADS | Tennessee | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 150 |
| BLACK CREEK | Vermont | Poor | 1903 | 123 | 100 |
| MECHUMS RIVER | Virginia | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 964 |
| OAK LEAF BIKE TRAIL | Wisconsin | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 9,800 |
| MAVILLA RIVER | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1903 | 123 | 6,200 |
| LITTLE CAHABA RIVER | Alabama | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 100 |
| 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 |
| SAN MATEO CREEK | California | Good | 1904 | 122 | 10,000 |
| HOP BROOK | Connecticut | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 2,600 |
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 |
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.