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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOWN BRANCH CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1909 | 117 | 325 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 3,250 |
| EI RR | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 250 |
| N BR CHICAGO RIV | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 6,350 |
| N.BRANCH CHGO RIVER | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 1,475 |
| SANITARY&SHIP CANAL | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 22,000 |
| POPLAR CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 3,000 |
| N SHORE CHANNEL | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 7,600 |
| N SHORE CHANNEL | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 2,300 |
| N SHORE CHANNEL | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 400 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 800 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 425 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 100 |
| SUGAR CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 150 |
| NO BUSINESS CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| TRIB BIG CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| NO BUSINESS CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
| N FK EMBARRAS RIVER | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 75 |
| TRIB SUGAR CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1909 | 117 | 500 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 1,050 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 2,200 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 650 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 1,000 |
| STINKING CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 400 |
| VILLAGE CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 75 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
| BUTTER CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 200 |
| STINKING CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
| VILLAGE CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 2,650 |
| SECOND CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 300 |
| LITTLE MOCCASIN CK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 125 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
| WOLF CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 75 |
| WOLF CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| SECOND CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
| BROCKETT CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 100 |
| MORRIS CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 100 |
| SALT CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 250 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 35 |
| SECOND CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| DIETERICH CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| SECOND CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| DIETRICH CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 75 |
| BISHOP CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 150 |
| FULFER CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 100 |
| BRUSH CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 250 |
| LITTLE BISHOP CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 100 |
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.