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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNNAMED STRM | Hawaii | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 450 |
| WEISER RIVER | Idaho | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 180 |
| W. BUREAU CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 25 |
| FAIRFIELD DITCH | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 75 |
| PIKE CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 25 |
| SPOON RIVER | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| S BRANCH BROUILLETTS | Illinois | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| WAUPECON CR | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| W. FORK MAZON RIVER | Illinois | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 125 |
| MAZON RIVER | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 75 |
| BREWSTER RUN | Illinois | Good | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| TRIB E FK MAZON RIV | Illinois | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Good | 1910 | 116 | 25 |
| BR. OF COAL CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 25 |
| TRIB SUGAR CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 75 |
| JEFFERSON CR | Illinois | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 25 |
| MUDDY PLUM RIVER | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 125 |
| DAVIS CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| FOX RIVER E CHANNEL | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 11,200 |
| DEER CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 175 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 75 |
| BR W AUX SABLE CR | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 75 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 225 |
| KILJORDAN CR | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| MISS RIVER | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 14,300 |
| MASON TAZEWELL DITCH | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| BLACK CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 175 |
| BR OF E PLUM RIVER | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 25 |
| MIDDLE FORK VERM RIV | Illinois | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| KEITH CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 475 |
| SOUTH FORK BUCK CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 2,496 |
| MUSCATATUCK RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 143 |
| REBECCA KNIGHT DRAIN | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| CLIFTY CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 90 |
| SUGAR CREEK | Indiana | Good | 1910 | 116 | 170 |
| PRAIRIE CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | — |
| WALNUT FORK OF SUGAR CRE | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 120 |
| PRAIRIE CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 400 |
| SUGAR Creek | Indiana | Good | 1910 | 116 | 144 |
| BACHELOR Run | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 69 |
| Branch of McIntyre Creek | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 24 |
| BIRCH CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | — |
| BLUE RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 411 |
| NORTH FORK PRAIRIE CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 40 |
| BRANCH W FORK TANNERS CR | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 330 |
| ENNIS CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 110 |
| GAS CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 320 |
| COAL CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 100 |
| DRY Run | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 117 |
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.