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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N. BR. OF LAMOILLE RIVER | Vermont | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 100 |
| N BR LAMOILLE RIVER | Vermont | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 100 |
| CUYON RIVER | Puerto Rico | Poor | 1877 | 149 | 2,700 |
| CUYON RIVER | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1877 | 149 | 2,700 |
| DRAINAGE SWALE | Indiana | Good | 1878 | 148 | 5 |
| BR DES MOINES RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1878 | 148 | 21 |
| CATOCTIN CREEK | Maryland | Poor | 1878 | 148 | 390 |
| WATER SUDBURY RIVER | Massachusetts | Good | 1878 | 148 | 7,950 |
| LOCKATONG CREEK | New Jersey | Good | 1878 | 148 | 212 |
| MILE RUN BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1878 | 148 | 20,708 |
| W.BRANCH TIOUGHNIOGA RIV | New York | Poor | 1878 | 148 | 158 |
| W. BRANCH TIOUGHNIOGA RI | New York | Poor | 1878 | 148 | 322 |
| AUSABLE RIVER | New York | Poor | 1878 | 148 | 30 |
| STONELICK CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1878 | 148 | 575 |
| SANDUSKY RIVER | Ohio | Good | 1878 | 148 | 83 |
| LICKING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1878 | 148 | 50 |
| W BR OCTORARO CRK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1878 | 148 | 340 |
| CONESTOGA RIVER | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1878 | 148 | 165 |
| PEQUEA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1878 | 148 | 340 |
| STONY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1878 | 148 | 27,202 |
| Rappahannock River | Virginia | Fair | 1878 | 148 | 839 |
| BRANCH OF TANNERS CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1879 | 147 | 30 |
| WAPSIPINICON RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1879 | 147 | 140 |
| CARROLL BRANCH | Maryland | Fair | 1879 | 147 | 2,534 |
| TOWSON RUN | Maryland | Fair | 1879 | 147 | 896 |
| C&O CANAL | Maryland | Fair | 1879 | 147 | 200 |
| WATER SHAWSHEEN RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1879 | 147 | 30,905 |
| BLKWD CVD BRG PRATT FORK | Ohio | Poor | 1879 | 147 | 209 |
| WEST FORK OF EAGLE CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1879 | 147 | 148 |
| WEST FORK LITTLE BEAVER | Ohio | Good | 1879 | 147 | — |
| LITTLE MUSKINGUM RIVER | Ohio | Poor | 1879 | 147 | 209 |
| TOWN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1879 | 147 | 100 |
| PICKERING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1879 | 147 | 719 |
| 1ST BRANCH WHITE R. | Vermont | Fair | 1879 | 147 | 50 |
| MAD RIVER | Vermont | Fair | 1879 | 147 | 770 |
| SCANTIC RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1880 | 146 | 5,200 |
| BEAN BLOSSOM CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1880 | 146 | 50 |
| SAND CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1880 | 146 | 30 |
| LICK CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1880 | 146 | 600 |
| BIG WALNUT CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1880 | 146 | 1,400 |
| BIG WALNUT CREEK | Indiana | Good | 1880 | 146 | — |
| BIG WALNUT CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1880 | 146 | 230 |
| RACCOON CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1880 | 146 | 350 |
| LITTLE OTTER CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1880 | 146 | 150 |
| RIPLEY CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1880 | 146 | 350 |
| BRUSH CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1880 | 146 | 145 |
| UPPER IOWA RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1880 | 146 | 26 |
| SAND LICK CREEK | Kentucky | Fair | 1880 | 146 | 97 |
| CATOCTIN CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1880 | 146 | 136 |
| WATER SUDBURY RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1880 | 146 | 7,170 |
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.