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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COTTON BRANCH CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 110 |
| BRANCH BIG PINE CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 70 |
| MILL CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 152 |
| FORK MILL CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 152 |
| DES MOINES RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 3,844 |
| RALSTON CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 2,176 |
| CRANE CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 29 |
| DM RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 60 |
| CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 45 |
| WEST BRANCH FLOYD RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 120 |
| ROCK CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 20 |
| WEST BR INDIAN CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 34 |
| LONG DICK CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 80 |
| WHITEWATER CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1911 | 115 | — |
| DURECHAN CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 35 |
| ROCK CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 375 |
| SWITZLER CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 30 |
| JACK CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 5 |
| TOWN BR-NS(CNO&TP) | Kentucky | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 6,192 |
| S FORK BEARGRASS CREEK | Kentucky | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 939 |
| MAINE CENTRL RAILROAD | Maine | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,280 |
| MILE BROOK | Maine | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 622 |
| WEST BRANCH PATAPSCO RIV | Maryland | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 999 |
| SOUTHEAST CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,162 |
| POTTS MILL CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,759 |
| HERRING RUN | Maryland | Good | 1911 | 115 | 20,994 |
| ALLOWAY CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 269 |
| MONOCACY RIVER | Maryland | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 268 |
| TRIB TO TUCKAHOE CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,027 |
| CARROLL CREEK | Maryland | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 6,750 |
| BROAD RUN | Maryland | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 444 |
| ROCK CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 7,482 |
| WATER WORTHINGTON BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 8,664 |
| WATER WASHNGTN MTN BROOK | Massachusetts | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 2,925 |
| WATER FACTORY BROOK | Massachusetts | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 300 |
| WATER E BR HOUSATONIC R | Massachusetts | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 16,642 |
| RR MBTA/BMRR | Massachusetts | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 27,350 |
| WATER SEVEN MILE RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 15,292 |
| WATER WILLETT POND OTLT | Massachusetts | Good | 1911 | 115 | 3,429 |
| OTHER CENTRAL RAIL TRAIL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 7,758 |
| OTHER CENTRAL RAIL TRAIL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 5,431 |
| MICHIGAMME RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 81 |
| BUSH CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 61 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 10 |
| CHANNEL; PED PATH | Minnesota | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 33,500 |
| SPRING BROOK | Minnesota | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 56 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 68 |
| CHANNEL | Minnesota | Good | 1911 | 115 | 4,802 |
| CHANNEL TO CEDAR LK | Minnesota | Good | 1911 | 115 | 6,000 |
| CASTOR RVR | Missouri | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 35 |
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.