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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRY RUN CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 2,673 |
| COLD WATER CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 5 |
| LITTLE SIOUX RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 41 |
| STREAM | Iowa | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 16 |
| SOAP CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 70 |
| INDIAN CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 5 |
| VOLGA RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 15 |
| DM RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 30 |
| CLEAR CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 15 |
| SMALL STREAM | Iowa | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 34 |
| STREAM | Iowa | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 35 |
| TRIB. TO INDIAN CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 45 |
| HICKORY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 30 |
| ROCK CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 25 |
| CLARKS CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 20 |
| TRIB. TO DEER CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 25 |
| WEST CEDAR CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 25 |
| PEATS CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 35 |
| SKUNK RUN | Kansas | Good | 1905 | 121 | 1,350 |
| TOWN BRANCH | Kentucky | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 4,034 |
| CUMBERLAND RIVER | Kentucky | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 119 |
| VAUGHAN STREAM | Maine | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 1,480 |
| LITTLE HUNTING CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 980 |
| WATER TEN MILE RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 4,571 |
| COMB ST3/ST28 & CHARLES | Massachusetts | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 29,100 |
| COMB MACRR/QUECHAN RIVE | Massachusetts | Good | 1905 | 121 | 32,974 |
| WATER QUINSIGAMOND RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 15,053 |
| RR HRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 7,512 |
| TR GREEN LINE D | Massachusetts | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 96,206 |
| WATER MILE BROOK | Massachusetts | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 3,621 |
| WATER TATNUCK BROOK | Massachusetts | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 10,600 |
| HOG CREEK DRAIN #40 | Michigan | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 111 |
| COLDWATER RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 108 |
| BARNUM CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 163 |
| DICKERSON CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 37 |
| MIDDLE BR CASS RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 160 |
| RICEFORD CREEK | Minnesota | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 4 |
| OKABENA CREEK | Minnesota | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 10 |
| SHIP CANAL | Minnesota | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 6,143 |
| PEDESTRIAN UNDERTAKE | Minnesota | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 10 |
| COMO-HARRIET STREETCAR | Minnesota | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 774 |
| APPLE CR | Missouri | Good | 1905 | 121 | 25 |
| SNI-A-BAR CR | Missouri | Good | 1905 | 121 | 25 |
| TRIB OF SALINE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 35 |
| TRIB OF S SALINE C | Missouri | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 45 |
| MILLERS CR | Missouri | Good | 1905 | 121 | 50 |
| E YELLOW CR | Missouri | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 20 |
| ELK FK | Missouri | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 25 |
| BRAZEAU CR | Missouri | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 25 |
| E FK FISHING RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 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.