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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAMSEY CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 35 |
| LITTLE SALT CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| LITTLE MUDDY CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1909 | 117 | 35 |
| DIETERICH CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 100 |
| LITTLE SALT CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
| LITTLE MOCCASIN CK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 3,950 |
| LICK CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 75 |
| PLUM CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 75 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 275 |
| PENN CENTRAL RR | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 2,000 |
| CONSOLIDATED RR | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 575 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Good | 1909 | 117 | 100 |
| CONTRARY CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 75 |
| TRIB BIG CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 75 |
| TRIB OF BRONSON CR | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
| CROOKED CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| BIG MUDDY CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 125 |
| ISLAND CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| CROOKED CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
| LAWS CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 100 |
| WOLF CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| RICHLAND CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| LAWS CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 200 |
| FOX RIVER | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 75 |
| SAMS BRANCH | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
| FR EAST CROOKED CK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| SANDY CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 400 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| TRIB SEVEN MILE CK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 700 |
| KNOB CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 100 |
| CASEY FORK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 175 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 10 |
| PUNCHEON CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 100 |
| SOUTHERN RR | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 275 |
| BRUSHY FORK SYSTEM | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 525 |
| LITTLE BONPAS | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 1,100 |
| SHIRLEY CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 75 |
| ALLISON DR DT #1 | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 50 |
| THE SLOUGH | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
| BIRCH CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 35 |
| CRABAPPLE CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 150 |
| CONRAIL RR | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 125 |
| SAND CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 400 |
| DITCH | Illinois | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
| SOUTH FORK CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
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.