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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LICK RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 60 |
| CURRY RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 15 |
| CATAWISSA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 10 |
| MUGSER RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 50 |
| ROARING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 50 |
| N. BR BRIAR CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 100 |
| OVER MUDDY CREEK BRANCH | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 239 |
| OVER LITTLE SUGAR CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 250 |
| OVER COULTER RUN | Pennsylvania | Good | 1905 | 121 | 250 |
| DARBY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 7,453 |
| GEORGE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 2,750 |
| GEORGE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 2,750 |
| BROWN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 10 |
| DUNLAP CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 50 |
| MILL RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 400 |
| MILL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1905 | 121 | 50 |
| BEAVER RIVER | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 3,051 |
| WEST BRANCH TUNUNGWANT C | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 7,876 |
| French Creek Branch | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 20 |
| SEPTA | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 29,145 |
| INDIAN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 1,173 |
| PERKIOMEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 250 |
| LEHIGH RIVER | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 100 |
| OVER SHAMOKIN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1905 | 121 | 3,836 |
| OVER SHAMOKIN CR. | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 3,611 |
| BIXLER RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 50 |
| PENNS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 239 |
| SALT LICK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 384 |
| ZIMMERMAN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1905 | 121 | 183 |
| JOHNSON CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 300 |
| OVER PITHOLE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 87 |
| EAST BRANCH SUGAR CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 100 |
| EAST SANDY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 50 |
| BUCK RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 30 |
| BIG BROOK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 40 |
| WEST BR LACKAWAXEN RIVER | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 25 |
| ABAND RR; TRIB.BEE TREE | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 461 |
| CSX;SHARED ASSET(BELMAR) | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 22,619 |
| AMTRAK-PA CENTRAL RR | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 22,619 |
| CONRAIL:RICHMOND BRANCH | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 16,316 |
| CSX-N Y SHORT LINE | Pennsylvania | Good | 1905 | 121 | 21,402 |
| CSX RAILROAD | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 25,141 |
| CSX N.Y.SHORT LINE | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 20,255 |
| SEPTA | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 5,500 |
| Branch of Poquessing Crk | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 300 |
| CHOTEAU CREAK | South Dakota | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 50 |
| EMANUEL CREEK | South Dakota | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 20 |
| PRAIRIE CREEK | South Dakota | Poor | 1905 | 121 | 60 |
| CK | South Dakota | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 56 |
| BRANCH | Tennessee | Fair | 1905 | 121 | 14,283 |
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.