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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEAR Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 120 |
| OPOSSUM HOLLOW | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 120 |
| BIG CEDAR CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 225 |
| PIGEON CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 110 |
| MISSISSINEWA RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 7,460 |
| MISSISSINEWA RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 14,000 |
| LITTLE DEER CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 150 |
| EAST FORK HONEY CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 800 |
| EAST FORK HONEY CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 175 |
| LITTLE PIPE CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 141 |
| MCMILLIAN DITCH | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 60 |
| MUTTON CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 225 |
| LITTLE MUTTON CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 225 |
| FINCH BRANCH | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 125 |
| BEAR CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 100 |
| BEAR CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 100 |
| TEA CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 100 |
| BRANCH OF TEA CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 100 |
| BRUSHY FORK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 125 |
| BRANCH OF SUGAR CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
| MILLER DITCH | Indiana | Good | 1910 | 116 | 130 |
| TURKEY CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 250 |
| PLEASANT RUN | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 2,114 |
| BEAN CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 5,687 |
| SEERLEY CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 15,130 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 63 |
| FRIENDS CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 52 |
| CLEAR CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 558 |
| IROQUOIS RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 145 |
| SULPHUR CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 100 |
| LICK CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 100 |
| MILL CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| MILL CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 500 |
| CROYS CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 118 |
| STRANGERS Branch | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 65 |
| BIG RACCOON Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 99 |
| SUNDERLAND Branch | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 887 |
| EAST FORK RUSH CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 507 |
| Branch of SUGAR Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 99 |
| GRAND TRUNK & WESTERN RR | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 11,050 |
| BIG WALNUT CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | — |
| OWL BRANCH CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 110 |
| CONRAIL RR | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 130 |
| ELKHORN CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 171 |
| LITTLE WHITE RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 112 |
| LAUGHERY CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 150 |
| FLATROCK CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 150 |
| THREE MILE CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 1,400 |
| FLATROCK OVERFLOW | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 250 |
| BEAVER MEADOW CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 150 |
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.