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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S. BR. PENNSAUKEN CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 10,139 |
| CONRAIL(ABANDONED) | New Jersey | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 8,450 |
| CEDAR CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 12 |
| GALLINAS RIVER | New Mexico | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 6,684 |
| RTE I895 BRONX RIVER A | New York | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 11,653 |
| SUGAR RIVER | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 1 |
| 278IX FDR DRIVE CHERRY | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | — |
| 278IX FDR DRIVE CHERRY | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 43,477 |
| 21ST STREET 22ND STREET | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 108,144 |
| 25 25 04011004 | New York | Good | 1909 | 117 | 86,098 |
| 25 X FIRST AVENUE | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 86,098 |
| 25 X FIRST AVENUE | New York | Good | 1909 | 117 | 86,098 |
| NYC GARAGE | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 86,098 |
| RTE I278 CSX TRANS/P MR | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 43,954 |
| EAST 175TH STREET | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 27,900 |
| N Y & ATLANTIC/LI | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 5,099 |
| N Y & ATLANTIC/LI | New York | Good | 1909 | 117 | 10,633 |
| N Y & ATLANTIC/LI NYCTA | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 8,912 |
| Rd under Span 3 NY & AT | New York | Good | 1909 | 117 | 4,817 |
| N Y & ATLANTIC/LI NYCTA | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 5,046 |
| LIRR MAIN LINE | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 7,453 |
| LIRR MAIN LINE | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 2,248 |
| LIRR MAIN LINE | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | — |
| CSXT | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 7,867 |
| CSXT/CN/D&H | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 965 |
| CSXT/CN/D&H | New York | Good | 1909 | 117 | 887 |
| RR STA ACCESS RD METRO | New York | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 2,064 |
| ROELIFF JANSEN KILL | New York | Good | 1909 | 117 | — |
| MILL CREEK | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 3 |
| LITTLE CHAZY RIVER | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 1,098 |
| NORWALK RESERVOIR | New York | Good | 1909 | 117 | 192 |
| MNRR NH LINE | New York | Good | 1909 | 117 | 17,209 |
| HUDSON RIVER & CANAL | New York | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 12,161 |
| NYS BARGE CANAL | New York | Good | 1909 | 117 | 16,539 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 680 |
| Erie Canal Heritage Trai | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 2,654 |
| Erie Canal Bike Path ER | New York | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 910 |
| Erie Canal Trail ERIE C | New York | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 89 |
| Erie Canal Bike Path ER | New York | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 217 |
| Erie Canal Heritage Trai | New York | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 63 |
| Canalway Trail ERIE CAN | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 915 |
| ERIE CANAL EMPIRE STATE | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 1,670 |
| SCHOHARIE CREEK | New York | Good | 1909 | 117 | 5,349 |
| 190IX BLACK ROCK CANAL | New York | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 1,063 |
| CASWELL BRANCH | North Carolina | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 200 |
| MOUSE RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 25 |
| PARK RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 30 |
| AUGLAIZE RIVER HAY RD | Ohio | Good | 1909 | 117 | 175 |
| CONNEAUT CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1909 | 117 | 600 |
| LITTLE BEAVER CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1909 | 117 | 324 |
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.