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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEATHERWOOD CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 240 |
| POGUES RUN | Indiana | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 14,733 |
| ROCKY Run Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 107 |
| CONRAIL RR | Indiana | Poor | 1909 | 117 | — |
| GREENS FORK | Indiana | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 57 |
| CEDAR RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 4,971 |
| DES MOINES RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 80 |
| CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 103 |
| HAIGHT CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 60 |
| NUTTING CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 44 |
| WAPSIPINICON RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 78 |
| NORTH RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 26 |
| STREAM | Kansas | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 10 |
| THIRD CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 10 |
| WEST BRANCH FALL RIVER | Kansas | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 21 |
| trib Delaware River | Kansas | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 5 |
| ARKANSAS RIVER DRAINAGE | Kansas | Good | 1909 | 117 | 4,605 |
| PISCATAQUA RIVER | Maine | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 284 |
| THREE BRIDGES BRANCH | Maryland | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 6,761 |
| POTOMAC RIVER CSX TRANS | Maryland | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 6,761 |
| BUSH CREEK | Maryland | Good | 1909 | 117 | 817 |
| WATER MERRIMACK RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 19,271 |
| WATER FORT POND BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 10,381 |
| WATER SUDBURY RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 17,100 |
| WATER CHARLES RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 23,017 |
| WATER N NASHUA RIVER | Massachusetts | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 3,100 |
| WATER FALLULAH BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 500 |
| WATER FIRST LEVEL CANAL | Massachusetts | Good | 1909 | 117 | 6,724 |
| RR NECRR | Massachusetts | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 646 |
| WATER MOSS BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 3,651 |
| RR CSX | Massachusetts | Good | 1909 | 117 | 1,600 |
| RR HRR | Massachusetts | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 12,420 |
| WATER BEAVER BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 1,450 |
| M BR PERE MARQUETTE RIV. | Michigan | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 34 |
| WASHBURN CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 99 |
| CANNON RIVER | Minnesota | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 1 |
| CANNON RIVER | Minnesota | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 150 |
| HONEY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 110 |
| BELT CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 99 |
| BELT CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 99 |
| RED ROCK RIVER 086 | Montana | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 15 |
| MUD CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 5 |
| NIOBRARA RIVER | Nebraska | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 10 |
| ANTELOPE CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 700 |
| ANTELOPE CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 18,700 |
| ANTELOPE CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 150 |
| ANTELOPE CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 150 |
| SUNCOOK RIVER | New Hampshire | Good | 1909 | 117 | 96 |
| OVERPECK CREEK | New Jersey | Good | 1909 | 117 | 7,756 |
| SW BR OF RANCOCAS CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 5,114 |
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.