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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOCKANUM RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 6,700 |
| PUKIHAE STREAM | Hawaii | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 3,050 |
| PUUOKALEPA STREAM | Hawaii | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 1,090 |
| HENNEPIN CANAL | Illinois | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 50 |
| N BR CHI RIVER | Illinois | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 6,700 |
| S BR CHICAGO RIVER | Illinois | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 3,675 |
| JACKSON PK LAGOON | Illinois | Good | 1904 | 122 | 36,700 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Illinois | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 150 |
| PRAIRIE CR | Illinois | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 25 |
| FRENCH LICK CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 175 |
| RUSH Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 119 |
| MIDDLE BR WAPSININOC CR | Iowa | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 5 |
| SMALL | Iowa | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 5 |
| UPPER IOWA RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 20 |
| STREAM | Iowa | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 154 |
| STEWART CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 10 |
| BLUFF CREEK | Kansas | Good | 1904 | 122 | 50 |
| CARR CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 25 |
| NORTH FORK LITTLE RIVER | Kentucky | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 4,613 |
| TYLER PARK WALKWAY | Kentucky | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 7,777 |
| Levisa Fork | Kentucky | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 1,132 |
| WEBB RIVER | Maine | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 117 |
| BENNETT CREEK | Maryland | Good | 1904 | 122 | 200 |
| ISRAEL CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 325 |
| RR MBTA | Massachusetts | Good | 1904 | 122 | 8,500 |
| WATER ASSABET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 47,800 |
| RR MACRR | Massachusetts | Good | 1904 | 122 | 4,784 |
| RR MACRR | Massachusetts | Good | 1904 | 122 | 5,948 |
| WATER FALLULAH BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 7,590 |
| WATER SEYMOUR BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 2,068 |
| WATER NORTH RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 2,071 |
| WATER MONOOSNOC BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 1,900 |
| WATER SEWER CANAL | Massachusetts | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 2,636 |
| WATER IPSWICH RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 32,300 |
| WATER W BR HOUSATONIC R | Massachusetts | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 10,571 |
| WATER QUINEBAUG RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 4,938 |
| WATER QUINAPOXET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 6,910 |
| WATER STILLWATER RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 7,334 |
| WATER WACHUSETT RESERVR | Massachusetts | Good | 1904 | 122 | 10,570 |
| COMB ACCESS RD & PVRR | Massachusetts | Good | 1904 | 122 | 7,758 |
| BATTLE CREEK RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 7,500 |
| M BR PERE MARQUETTE RIV | Michigan | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 180 |
| RECREATIONAL TRAIL | Minnesota | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 7,778 |
| STREAM | Mississippi | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 3,040 |
| STREAM | Mississippi | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 3,040 |
| STREAM | Mississippi | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 3,040 |
| STREAM | Mississippi | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 3,040 |
| STREAM | Mississippi | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 3,040 |
| COVE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 30 |
| LINN CR | Missouri | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 35 |
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.