Historic Bridges
94,381 bridges built before 1951 across the United States still in service today.
Bridges Built Before 1951
The United States has 94,381 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COOKS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1873 | 153 | 100 |
| W BR SUSQUEHANNA RIVER | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1873 | 153 | 135 |
| LITTLE CONESTOGA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1873 | 153 | 500 |
| MISS RIV/RR/MSS6000 | Illinois | Fair | 1874 | 152 | 6,550 |
| DRY RUN | Indiana | Fair | 1874 | 152 | 140 |
| WATER SUDBURY RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1874 | 152 | 10,086 |
| RR BMRR SPUR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1874 | 152 | 2,000 |
| 1ST ST UNDERPASS METR | Missouri | Fair | 1874 | 152 | 2,000 |
| SPARKILL CREEK | New York | Poor | 1874 | 152 | 724 |
| BATTEN KILL | New York | Fair | 1874 | 152 | 180 |
| GRAND RIVER | Ohio | Fair | 1874 | 152 | 148 |
| WHETSTONE | Ohio | Poor | 1874 | 152 | 197 |
| BRUSH CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1874 | 152 | 209 |
| DURELL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1874 | 152 | 50 |
| CABIN RUN (COVERED BRDG) | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1874 | 152 | 597 |
| EAST BR. PERKIOMEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1874 | 152 | 1,592 |
| TROUT/MASCHELLAMAC CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1874 | 152 | 17,059 |
| W BR NESHAMINY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1874 | 152 | 8,535 |
| SCHWABEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1874 | 152 | 25 |
| SHORT CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1874 | 152 | 112 |
| 1ST BRANCH WHITE R. | Vermont | Fair | 1874 | 152 | 100 |
| BIG BAYOU | Indiana | Poor | 1875 | 151 | — |
| BRUSH CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 350 |
| WATER SHAWSHEEN RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 18,225 |
| WATER CHARLES RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 19,500 |
| WATER MILL RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 7,878 |
| WATER MILL RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 20,100 |
| WATER NEPONSET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 16,785 |
| WATER NEPONSET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 2,327 |
| WATER SALISBURY PLAIN R | Massachusetts | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 9,100 |
| RARITAN RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 13,656 |
| WALLKILL RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 6,520 |
| RAHWAY RIVER | New Jersey | Poor | 1875 | 151 | 25,292 |
| TROUT BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 72 |
| MUSCONETCONG RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 831 |
| BEAVER BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 307 |
| POESTEN KILL | New York | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 6,680 |
| POESTEN KILL | New York | Poor | 1875 | 151 | 13,429 |
| SPRUCE CREEK | New York | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 66 |
| KENNYETTO CREEK | New York | Good | 1875 | 151 | 1,849 |
| EAGLE CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1875 | 151 | 104 |
| OLD WATERWORKS COAL ROOM | Ohio | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 5,915 |
| PINEY FORK | Ohio | Good | 1875 | 151 | 209 |
| SANTOY CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 209 |
| PINE RUN | Pennsylvania | Good | 1875 | 151 | 5,128 |
| PENNSYLVANIA CANAL | Pennsylvania | Good | 1875 | 151 | 200 |
| PIDCOCK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1875 | 151 | 150 |
| MILL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 201 |
| BIG ELK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1875 | 151 | 188 |
| ROARING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 50 |
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 |
| Virgin Islands | 5 | 1904 | 112 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.