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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OVER ROSS RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| WEBSTER RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 59 |
| TENMILE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 1 |
| ROBERTS RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 100 |
| CROOKED CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| Richards Run | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 150 |
| MILL RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| NORFOLK AND SOUTHERN RR | Pennsylvania | Good | 1910 | 116 | 5,419 |
| CONOY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 5,680 |
| RR ABANDONED | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 16,440 |
| COPLAY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 11,880 |
| ONTELAUNEE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 200 |
| KITCHEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 55 |
| HUNTINGTON CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 55 |
| MILL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 1,400 |
| BENNETT BROOK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 4,775 |
| W BR TUNUNGWANT CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 150 |
| IRISH HOLLOW CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 200 |
| POTATO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 40 |
| OVER BIG RUN TRIB | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 741 |
| MUNNELL RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 951 |
| JACKS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| POHOPOCO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 1,357 |
| MCMICHAEL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 1,114 |
| MARSHALL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 100 |
| UNAMI CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 320 |
| SPROGELS RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 14,340 |
| WISSAHICKON CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 1,944 |
| SAW MILL RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 3,300 |
| SEPTA LEASED TO PN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 300 |
| HOKENDAUQUA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 30 |
| LITTLE BUSHKILL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 200 |
| SLATEFORD CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 200 |
| LEHIGH CANAL + NORFORK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 80 |
| MAHANOY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | — |
| SHAMOKIN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 2,900 |
| LIMESTONE RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 4,900 |
| SHERMANS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 117 |
| LUDINGTON RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 92 |
| OSWAYO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| MAHANOY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
| BRUSH CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 34 |
| LAUREL HILL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1910 | 116 | 96 |
| BEAVER DAM CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| SANDY RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 25 |
| EAST BR. TUNKHANNOCK CR. | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
| OVER LITTLE SUGAR CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 200 |
| OVER TIDIOUTE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 376 |
| OVER CALDWELL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 75 |
| OVER SPRING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
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.