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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEAVER CREEK | Tennessee | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 290 |
| SAND BRANCH | Texas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 100 |
| CEDAR CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 90 |
| PEACH CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 34 |
| DRAW | Texas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 40 |
| SAN SABA RIVER | Texas | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 49 |
| NEW ENGLAND CENTRAL RR | Vermont | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 1,500 |
| MISSISQUOI RIVER | Vermont | Good | 1910 | 116 | 70 |
| CONNECTICUT RIVER | Vermont | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 5,698 |
| BROOK | Vermont | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 1,300 |
| MOLLYS BROOK | Vermont | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 400 |
| MOSSY CREEK | Virginia | Good | 1910 | 116 | 65 |
| N.F. HOLSTON RIVER | Virginia | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 74 |
| SBD SYSTEM RAILROAD | Virginia | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 394 |
| NS RAILWAY | Virginia | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 3,200 |
| SOUND TRANSIT TUNNEL | Washington | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 22,000 |
| Parking garage | Washington | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 15,000 |
| RAILROAD STATION | Washington | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 13,500 |
| ST TUNNEL | Washington | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 8,000 |
| E 24TH&B ST& ABANDONED R | Washington | Good | 1910 | 116 | 13,000 |
| MILL CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 6,123 |
| SAND DITCH | Washington | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 355 |
| BUCKLEY GULCH | Washington | Good | 1910 | 116 | 15,000 |
| UNION FLAT CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 200 |
| KETTLE RIVER | Washington | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 30 |
| PARKING GARAGE | Washington | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 27,000 |
| DUNLOUP CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| PATTERSON FORK | West Virginia | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 1,000 |
| JACOBS RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 250 |
| GLADY CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| WHITESTICK CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 1,200 |
| POCATALICO RIVER | West Virginia | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 10 |
| SWEETWATER BRANCH | West Virginia | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 250 |
| SPRUCE CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 250 |
| ST LOUIS RIVER | Wisconsin | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 2,205 |
| UNION PACIFIC RR | Wisconsin | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 197 |
| OTTER CREEK | Wisconsin | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 47 |
| ROGERS BRANCH | Wisconsin | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| BR DOUGHERTY CREEK | Wisconsin | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 105 |
| BR TOWN CREEK | Wisconsin | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 20 |
| MUD CREEK | Wisconsin | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 35 |
| BR DUCK CREEK | Wisconsin | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 1,100 |
| DUCK CREEK | Wisconsin | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 47 |
| M BR EMBARRASS RIVER | Wisconsin | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 120 |
| S BR EMBARRASS RIVER | Wisconsin | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 50 |
| RAILS TO TRAILS TRAIL | Wisconsin | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 47 |
| OCONOMOWOC RIVER | Wisconsin | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 4,664 |
| BR CRANBERRY CREEK | Wisconsin | Fair | 1910 | 116 | 25 |
| CHANNEL | Puerto Rico | Poor | 1910 | 116 | 5,000 |
| Mule Pass-Lowell Arch | Arizona | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 4,769 |
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.