Historic Bridges
94,381 bridges built before 1951 across the United States still in service today.
Bridges Built Before 1951
The United States has 94,381 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEBOEUF CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1875 | 151 | — |
| PEQUEA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1875 | 151 | 1,200 |
| SLIPPERY ROCK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1875 | 151 | 150 |
| EAST FORK | Tennessee | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 20 |
| TROUT RIVER | Vermont | Fair | 1875 | 151 | 10 |
| S FORK PATOKA RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1876 | 150 | 15 |
| SKUNK RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1876 | 150 | 11 |
| KENDUSKEAG STREAM | Maine | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 72 |
| TOMS CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 470 |
| WATER CHARLES RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 5,700 |
| RR AMTRAK/MBTA | Massachusetts | Good | 1876 | 150 | 2,072 |
| HURON RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 1,963 |
| ELLIS RIVER | New Hampshire | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 2,280 |
| SWAN CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 4,456 |
| MILL CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1876 | 150 | 199 |
| SUNDAY CK | Ohio | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 96 |
| MIDDLE FORK LITTLE BEAVE | Ohio | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 50 |
| GREAT MIAMI RIVER | Ohio | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 194 |
| ALUM CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1876 | 150 | 184 |
| Cuyahoga River & CSXT RR | Ohio | Poor | 1876 | 150 | 12,977 |
| TOHICKON CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 150 |
| ROARING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 50 |
| LITTLE FISHING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 50 |
| LITTLE FISHING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 50 |
| BACK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1876 | 150 | 100 |
| MILL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 50 |
| JORDAN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 727 |
| S. BR. of ROARING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 250 |
| WALLENPAUPACK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1876 | 150 | 1,158 |
| Abandoned Park Trolley | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 12,500 |
| Parkside Avenue Ext. | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 16,000 |
| Abandoned Park Trolley | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1876 | 150 | 900 |
| PATOKA RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1877 | 149 | — |
| MISSISSINEWA RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 240 |
| FLATROCK RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1877 | 149 | 150 |
| EEL RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1877 | 149 | 100 |
| WATER CONCORD RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 6,607 |
| WATER SUDBURY RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 14,300 |
| WATER CHARLES RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 16,601 |
| BEEBE RIVER | New Hampshire | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 96 |
| BLOW-ME-DOWN BROOK | New Hampshire | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 19 |
| ABND.RR.TUNNEL(NO TRS) | Ohio | Poor | 1877 | 149 | 3,326 |
| E FORK LITTLE MIAMI RIVE | Ohio | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 385 |
| COLD RUN CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 92 |
| PENNSYLVANIA CANAL | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 129 |
| GALLOWS RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 50 |
| EAST BR.BRANDYWINE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 546 |
| LARRYS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1877 | 149 | 10 |
| BENS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 50 |
| SEEKONK RVR TAFT S | Rhode Island | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 14,948 |
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 |
| Virgin Islands | 5 | 1904 | 112 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.