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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAWAYANDA CREEK | New York | Good | 1910 | 116 | 484 |
| MAHWAH RIVER | New York | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 2,119 |
| MAMARONECK RIVER | New York | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 7,311 |
| WYLIE BROOK | New York | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 39 |
| Maintenance Access Acce | New York | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 2,218 |
| CHAMPLAIN CANAL | New York | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| ERIE BARGE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 19 |
| NYS Canal Trail ERIE BA | New York | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 253 |
| BARGE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1910 | 116 | — |
| Erie Canal Bike Path ER | New York | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 760 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 1,067 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 1,618 |
| ERIE CANAL SOUTH TRAIL | New York | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 570 |
| MNRR HU LINE | New York | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 594 |
| CRUM ELBOW CREEK | New York | Good | 1910 | 116 | 11 |
| IRISH BUFFALO CREEK | North Carolina | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 10,500 |
| PLOTT CREEK | North Carolina | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 3,600 |
| S. PRONG TERRYS CREEK | North Carolina | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 1,400 |
| JAMES RIVER | North Dakota | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 85 |
| JAMES RIVER | North Dakota | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
| JAMES RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| SHEYENNE RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 5 |
| HEART RIVER | North Dakota | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| TURTLE RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 5 |
| BRUSH CREEK CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 44 |
| SUNDAY CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 100 |
| TRAIL RUN | Ohio | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 200 |
| W FORK OHIO BRUSH CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1910 | 116 | 797 |
| C.I. & W. RR | Ohio | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 750 |
| ELKHORN CR PSHEPHERD | Ohio | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 34 |
| BIG SANDY BR RRARCH BN35 | Ohio | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 209 |
| INDIAN CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 169 |
| BRANCH OF ANDERSON CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1910 | 116 | 522 |
| BLACKSNAKE CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1910 | 116 | 351 |
| HANNA DITCH | Ohio | Good | 1910 | 116 | 624 |
| MUDDY CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1910 | 116 | 281 |
| SPAIN CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1910 | 116 | 200 |
| GUEST RUN | Ohio | Good | 1910 | 116 | 564 |
| GAYNOR | Ohio | Good | 1910 | 116 | 983 |
| PLEASANT RUN | Ohio | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 150 |
| CSX RR WEST OF WALKER AV | Ohio | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 11,723 |
| CHAGRIN RIVER | Ohio | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 3,813 |
| (O) Railroad | Ohio | Good | 1910 | 116 | 10,972 |
| TEN MILE CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 100 |
| MASSIES CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1910 | 116 | 599 |
| STREAM SALT FORK | Ohio | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 60 |
| SOGGY RUN | Ohio | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 96 |
| Brierly Creek Branch | Ohio | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 1,158 |
| West Fork Mill Creek | Ohio | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 6,941 |
| TRIB OHIO RIVER | Ohio | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 3,338 |
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.