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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIRE BR OF CROOKED | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 22 |
| LIT WELDON RVR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| BIG NO CR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
| BIG RVR | Missouri | Good | 1910 | 116 | 1,200 |
| LOST CR | Missouri | Good | 1910 | 116 | 5 |
| LONG BRANCH CR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 30 |
| BEAR BR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 35 |
| MARIES CR | Missouri | Good | 1910 | 116 | 60 |
| S FK SALINE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 35 |
| PRAIRIE FK | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 100 |
| SALINE CR | Missouri | Good | 1910 | 116 | 45 |
| S FLAT CR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| MUDDY CR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 5 |
| PASS BR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 35 |
| MONITEAU CR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 40 |
| ROCK CR | Missouri | Good | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
| BR OF M FK LOST CR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| N FK OF WHITE RVR | Missouri | Good | 1910 | 116 | 30 |
| E BEE BR | Missouri | Good | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
| E FK BIG CR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| BIG CR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 120 |
| MUDDY CR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 35 |
| NORTH RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 35 |
| W BEE BR | Missouri | Good | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| SHANE CR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 35 |
| W BEE CR | Missouri | Good | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| WYACONDA RVR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| ELM BR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 25 |
| PUZZLE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 5 |
| SUGAR CR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 35 |
| LIT SHOAL CR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| WILDCAT CR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 30 |
| E BEE BR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| TAVERN CR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 25 |
| WOLF CR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
| W BEE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| BLACKJACK CR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 55 |
| BIG CR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 70 |
| TAVERN CR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 45 |
| BIG RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 1,354 |
| LIT SAC RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 894 |
| BR OF MASSEY CR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| CANE CR | Missouri | Good | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
| BRUSH CR | Missouri | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 35 |
| GRAND RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 15 |
| CANE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 35 |
| BRANCH | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 60 |
| BR HUBBLE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 35 |
| WEAVER BR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 150 |
| SMALL CR | Missouri | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
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.