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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WATER BEAVER BRK/SEWER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 7,831 |
| GALIEN RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 35 |
| KALAMAZOO RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 7,449 |
| OTTER TAIL RIVER | Minnesota | Poor | 1908 | 118 | 1,350 |
| MINNEHAHA CREEK | Minnesota | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 200 |
| DITCH | Minnesota | Poor | 1908 | 118 | 33 |
| NOKASIPPI RIVER | Minnesota | Poor | 1908 | 118 | 20 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Poor | 1908 | 118 | 40 |
| BRUSH CR | Missouri | Poor | 1908 | 118 | 35 |
| BIG RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 1,500 |
| TRIB TO BEAR BR | Missouri | Good | 1908 | 118 | 40 |
| CLUBB CR | Missouri | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 100 |
| CROOKED CR | Missouri | Poor | 1908 | 118 | 100 |
| LIT ELKHORN CR | Missouri | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 100 |
| CROOKED RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 10 |
| W BR OF LOST CR | Missouri | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 45 |
| BIG SPRING CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 100 |
| BEAVERHEAD RIVER 023 | Montana | Poor | 1908 | 118 | 14 |
| SMITH RIVER 033 | Montana | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 100 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK 030 | Montana | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 100 |
| LITTLE BLACKFOOT R 018 | Montana | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 100 |
| USBR MAIN CANAL 092 | Montana | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 100 |
| STREAM | Nebraska | Good | 1908 | 118 | 100 |
| W FK BIG BLUE RIVER | Nebraska | Poor | 1908 | 118 | 45 |
| INTERSTATE CANAL | Nebraska | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 10 |
| HACKENSACK RIVER | New Jersey | Good | 1908 | 118 | 19,317 |
| PASSAIC RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 17,010 |
| SW BR RANCOCAS CREEK | New Jersey | Poor | 1908 | 118 | 5,114 |
| West Branch Rahway River | New Jersey | Good | 1908 | 118 | 4,109 |
| PASSAIC RIVER | New Jersey | Poor | 1908 | 118 | 21,920 |
| CITY SUBWAY | New Jersey | Poor | 1908 | 118 | 11,960 |
| WILLOUGHBY BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 420 |
| WATERING PLACE BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 23,773 |
| STONY BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 13,979 |
| COLD SPRING CANYON | New Mexico | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 191 |
| EAST BRANCH CROTON RIVER | New York | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 411 |
| DUTCH KILLS | New York | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 12,360 |
| AMTRAK/CSXT/P&W | New York | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 8,154 |
| AMTRAK/CSXT/P&W | New York | Good | 1908 | 118 | 7,114 |
| AMTRAK/CSXT/P&W | New York | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 5,717 |
| AMTRAK/CSXT/P&W | New York | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 10,388 |
| AMTRAK/CSXT/P&W | New York | Good | 1908 | 118 | 4,499 |
| LONG ISLAND-ATL B | New York | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 5,144 |
| N Y & ATLANTIC/LI | New York | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 9,599 |
| N Y & ATLANTIC/LI | New York | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 17,014 |
| N Y & ATLANTIC/LI | New York | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 2,077 |
| N Y & ATLANTIC/LI | New York | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 21,581 |
| N Y & ATLANTIC/LI | New York | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 19,696 |
| N Y & ATLANTIC/LI | New York | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 5,229 |
| LIRR MAIN LINE | New York | Fair | 1908 | 118 | 6,225 |
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.