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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEDAR CRK. | Illinois | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 75 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 125 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 75 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 50 |
| Beebe Creek | Illinois | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 25 |
| BR MCKEE CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 25 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 50 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 25 |
| MILL CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 900 |
| DRY BRANCH CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 150 |
| LOGAN CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1905 | 121 | 225 |
| PURPUS CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 475 |
| MINNIE CR | Illinois | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 150 |
| STONY CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 5,250 |
| KENT CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 8,650 |
| EAST FORK WHITE CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 10 |
| KILMORE CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 102 |
| WHISKEY RUN | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 141 |
| BOGARD CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 150 |
| DRY RUN | Indiana | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 411 |
| SNAIL CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 225 |
| SNAIL CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 225 |
| DRY FK WHITEWATER RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 125 |
| BIG CEDAR CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 100 |
| RAMSEY CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 100 |
| BEECH CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 86 |
| INDIAN CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 214 |
| POSSUM HOLLOW CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 220 |
| FOUR MILE CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 95 |
| BUCK CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1905 | 121 | — |
| PLEASANT RUN | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 100 |
| TEA CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 125 |
| SLATE CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 100 |
| STORM CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 125 |
| PURDY MARSH | Indiana | Poor | 1905 | 121 | — |
| SINGER DITCH | Indiana | Good | 1905 | 121 | 130 |
| SMALLS CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 130 |
| LEATHERWOOD CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 365 |
| FALL CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 21,818 |
| FALL CREEK | Indiana | Good | 1905 | 121 | 9,937 |
| POGUES RUN | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 4,945 |
| ARMEY DITCH | Indiana | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 1,250 |
| Little RACCOON Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 115 |
| Big Creek | Indiana | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 139 |
| BR OF MILL CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 110 |
| BEAR CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1905 | 121 | — |
| HUFFMAN DITCH | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 80 |
| HOOPPOLE DITCH | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 450 |
| BRANCH LAKE DRAIN | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 110 |
| WABASH RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 230 |
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.