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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRY FK CR | Missouri | Good | 1911 | 115 | 35 |
| CEDAR CR | Missouri | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 45 |
| LOST CR | Missouri | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 60 |
| MADDOX BR | Missouri | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 25 |
| TRIB TO SANDY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 150 |
| SNAKE CREEK 048 | Montana | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 100 |
| SWAN RIVER 110 | Montana | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 1,503 |
| RATTLESNAKE CREEK 002 | Montana | Good | 1911 | 115 | 2,157 |
| CEDAR CREEK TRIB | Nebraska | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 10 |
| CEDAR CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 25 |
| MUD CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 25 |
| DAILY BRANCH | Nebraska | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 10 |
| HOOKER CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 10 |
| STREAM | Nebraska | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 5 |
| LITTLE BLUE RIVER | Nebraska | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 40 |
| N FK LITTLE NEMAHA RIVER | Nebraska | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 15 |
| WILSON CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 25 |
| WILLOW CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 20 |
| WILLOW CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 55 |
| CONNECTICUT RIVER | New Hampshire | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 642 |
| NYS & W RAILROAD | New Jersey | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 25,364 |
| MAHWAH RIVER | New Jersey | Good | 1911 | 115 | 13,185 |
| ROBINSVILLE SECONDARY | New Jersey | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 5,443 |
| Montclair-Boonton Line | New Jersey | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 16,200 |
| FAIRY LAKE AND FOOTPATH | New Jersey | Good | 1911 | 115 | 3,120 |
| DAVIS AVENUE | New Jersey | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 3,120 |
| Assunpink Creek | New Jersey | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 4,950 |
| AMTRAK NE CORRIDOR | New Jersey | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 9,247 |
| AMTRAK NE CORRIDOR | New Jersey | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 2,114 |
| WEASEL BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 16,855 |
| GREEN BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,777 |
| ABAND. CONRAIL MP. 57.81 | New Jersey | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 777 |
| FORM ELIZABETH IND TRACK | New Jersey | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 2,990 |
| FORMER STRANTON BRANCH | New Jersey | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 3 |
| Former Scranton Br | New Jersey | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 26 |
| FORMER SCRANTON BRANCH | New Jersey | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 738 |
| FORMER SCRANTON BRNCH | New Jersey | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 50 |
| PAJARITO ARROYO | New Mexico | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 2,136 |
| ARROYO HERMANOS | New Mexico | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,548 |
| ACCESS TO RT9A100 | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 7,496 |
| ESOPUS CREEK | New York | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 1,393 |
| MAINT FACILITY | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 3,343 |
| PLUMB BROOK | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 14 |
| SPILLWAY CHANNEL | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 190 |
| TROWBRIDGE CREEK | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 42 |
| AMTRAK & LIRRYARD | New York | Good | 1911 | 115 | 13,815 |
| SAW MILL RIVER | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 4,697 |
| LIRR PT JEFF BRCH | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 7,145 |
| FISHKILL CREEK | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 4,504 |
| FALL KILL CREEK | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,431 |
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.