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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EEL RIVER | California | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 5,300 |
| SACRAMENTO RIVER OVFL | California | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 1,500 |
| HAMILTON CREEK | California | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 106 |
| SACRAMENTO UP BNSF AMTRA | California | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 4,938 |
| MC CUNE CREEK | California | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,521 |
| LINDA AVENUE | California | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 8,058 |
| STEVENS CREEK (FREMONT) | California | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 14,369 |
| SAN FRANCISQUITO CREEK | California | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 3,000 |
| DEL PUERTO CREEK | California | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,823 |
| DRY CREEK CANAL | California | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 7,818 |
| SAN LUIS OBISPO CREEK | California | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 3,000 |
| HONDO BARRANCA | California | Good | 1911 | 115 | 18,000 |
| TAPO CANYON CREEK | California | Good | 1911 | 115 | 24,000 |
| METROLINK & UP RR CREEK | California | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 6,100 |
| RUBIO WASH | California | Good | 1911 | 115 | 30,846 |
| LARIMER CO CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 7,900 |
| SOUTH PLATTE RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 42,000 |
| BOGGS POND BROOK | Connecticut | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 13,740 |
| STRICKLAND BROOK | Connecticut | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 18,700 |
| HOUSATONIC RR | Connecticut | Good | 1911 | 115 | 2,500 |
| WARTONS BRANCH | Delaware | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 23,985 |
| TANYARD CREEK | Georgia | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 8,530 |
| CHICKEN CREEK | Georgia | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,110 |
| NS RAILROAD | Georgia | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 4,060 |
| Honolii Stream | Hawaii | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 160 |
| PUNALAU STRM(KOLEA) | Hawaii | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 1,800 |
| HONOMANU STRM | Hawaii | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,800 |
| NUAAILUA STRM | Hawaii | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,800 |
| KOUKOUAI STRM | Hawaii | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 450 |
| HONOLEWA STRM | Hawaii | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 450 |
| WAIKAKOI STRM | Hawaii | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 775 |
| KALIALINUI GULCH | Hawaii | Good | 1911 | 115 | 30 |
| PAUWELA GULCH | Hawaii | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 700 |
| SPRECKELSVILLE DITCH | Hawaii | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,519 |
| KEALIA POND OUTLET #72 | Hawaii | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 15,000 |
| N SHORE CHANNEL | Illinois | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 9,400 |
| TROLLEY CAR TUNNEL | Illinois | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 4,750 |
| TROLLEY CAR TUNNEL | Illinois | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 18,600 |
| N FORK SALT CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 25 |
| SPRING CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 50 |
| SPRING CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 575 |
| SPRING CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 400 |
| CLIFTY CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 130 |
| FLATROCK RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 360 |
| BIG SHAWNEE CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 100 |
| INDPLS WATER CO CANAL | Indiana | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 1,052 |
| FALL CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 17,744 |
| POGUES RUN | Indiana | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 14,153 |
| PLEASANT RUN | Indiana | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 5,312 |
| S Fork Little RACCOON Cr | Indiana | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 51 |
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.