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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STREAM | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 329 |
| STREAM | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 105 |
| NORTH FANCY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 90 |
| TRIB. TO DRY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 120 |
| TRIB. INDEPENDENCE CK. | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| INDEPENDENCE CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| HENRY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 55 |
| MUDDY CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 5 |
| BRANCH OF TURKEY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| COYNE CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 30 |
| TRIB TO SPRING CREEK | Kansas | Good | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| TRIB TO QUIMBLY CREEK | Kansas | Good | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| TRIB TO WALNUT RIVER | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| ROCK CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 25 |
| BLACK CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 75 |
| SILVER CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 30 |
| GROUSE CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| E. TURKEY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| TRIB. TO MISSOURI RIVER | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 35 |
| TRIB. TO MISSOURI RIVER | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 30 |
| EAST FORK CANEY RIVER | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 5 |
| TRIB. TO CANEY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| TRIB. TO CANEY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| ELK CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| WOLF CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| ROCK CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 5 |
| BAKERS BRANCH | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| TRIB S. FORK WILDCAT CRK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| SOUTH FORK WILDCAT CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| SNAKE CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| HITCHIN CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
| APPANOOSE CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 35 |
| CLARKS CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 5 |
| ANTELOPE CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 30 |
| Crooked Creek | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| BUFFALO CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
| GOOSE CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| MUD CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 40 |
| DEER CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| TRIB. TO LABETTE CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| LABETTE CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| TRIB. LITTLE SUGAR CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
| COTTONWOOD RIVER | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 30 |
| DOYLE CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 40 |
| TRIB. MID.BR. TURKEY CK. | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
| MARTIN CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 45 |
| WALNUT CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| WALNUT CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| BRANCH BLACK VERMILLION | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| LITTLE TIMBER CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 5 |
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.