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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DELAWARE RIVER | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 10,300 |
| DELAWARE River | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 3,300 |
| CRUM CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 1,874 |
| SOUTH BR. FRENCH CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 136 |
| EAST BR MAHONING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 40 |
| WOODCOCK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 67 |
| AMTRAK MAIN LINE | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 3,659 |
| OVER FRENCH CREEK TRIB | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 213 |
| Meadow Run | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 55 |
| TR Conococheague Creek | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 10,617 |
| E BR CONOCOCHEAGUE CR | Pennsylvania | Good | 1904 | 122 | 100 |
| SUMMIT LAKE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 5,417 |
| BIG RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 8,919 |
| LITTLE SWATARA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 50 |
| LITTLE MUNCY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1904 | 122 | 30 |
| OVER MILL RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 267 |
| NORFOLK SOUTHERN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 6,927 |
| DELAWARE River | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 4,500 |
| GLADE RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1904 | 122 | — |
| HALLOWING RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 25 |
| LICK RUN | Pennsylvania | Good | 1904 | 122 | 175 |
| Zerbe Run | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 400 |
| SHERMAN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 75 |
| LITTLE SCHUYLKILL RIVER | Pennsylvania | Good | 1904 | 122 | 6,528 |
| RACCOON CREEK TRIB | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 10 |
| RACCOON CREEK trib | Pennsylvania | Good | 1904 | 122 | 40 |
| RACCOON CREEK TRIB | Pennsylvania | Good | 1904 | 122 | 20 |
| SEWICKLEY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 227 |
| POQUESSING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 22,647 |
| MON RIVER & PRIVATE RR | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 17,500 |
| LIZARD CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 350 |
| BLACKSTONE RIVER | Rhode Island | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 7,777 |
| MOSHASSUCK RIVER | Rhode Island | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 15,043 |
| JAMES RIVER | South Dakota | Poor | 1904 | 122 | 35 |
| BRANCH | Tennessee | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 31,515 |
| 2ND BRANCH WHITE R. | Vermont | Good | 1904 | 122 | 60 |
| 2ND BRANCH WHITE R. | Vermont | Good | 1904 | 122 | 40 |
| 2ND BRANCH WHITE R. | Vermont | Good | 1904 | 122 | 20 |
| MILL BROOK | Vermont | Good | 1904 | 122 | 10 |
| SIXTEENMILE CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 20 |
| PRAIRIE RIVER | Wisconsin | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 7,300 |
| ROCKY RUN | Wisconsin | Fair | 1904 | 122 | 62 |
| Mt. Fork River | Arkansas | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 144 |
| Fourche LaFave River | Arkansas | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 15 |
| WEST UNION CREEK | California | Good | 1905 | 121 | 2,075 |
| SAN LUIS OBISPO CREEK | California | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 30 |
| BIRCH MOUNTAIN BROOK | Connecticut | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 1,200 |
| HORSENECK BROOK | Connecticut | Good | 1905 | 121 | 1,890 |
| ATLANTA BELTLINE | Georgia | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 28,300 |
| WAIKELE STRM | Hawaii | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 11,182 |
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.