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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOQUET RIVER | New York | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 12 |
| THIRTEENTH BROOK | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 3 |
| SEVENTH LAKE OUTLET | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 111 |
| S BR 18 MILE CRK | New York | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 363 |
| MULLET CREEK | New York | Good | 1911 | 115 | 365 |
| BRONX RIVER | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 6,421 |
| BRONX RIVER | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 5,028 |
| CHAMPLAIN CANAL | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 325 |
| CHAMPLAIN CANAL | New York | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 52 |
| CHAMPLAIN CANAL | New York | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 603 |
| OLD CHAMPLAIN CANAL | New York | Fair | 1911 | 115 | — |
| ERIE BARGE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1911 | 115 | — |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 1,630 |
| Erie Canal Tow Path Trai | New York | Good | 1911 | 115 | 421 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 519 |
| Erie Canal Heritage Trai | New York | Good | 1911 | 115 | 359 |
| Erie Canalway Trail ERI | New York | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 136 |
| Erie Canal Trailway ERI | New York | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 63 |
| Erie Canal Heritage Trai | New York | Good | 1911 | 115 | 246 |
| Erie Canal Heritage Trai | New York | Good | 1911 | 115 | 260 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Good | 1911 | 115 | 1,269 |
| Erie Canalway Trail ERI | New York | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 55 |
| ERIE CANAL SOUTH TRAIL | New York | Poor | 1911 | 115 | — |
| CSX LEASED AMTRAK | New York | Poor | 1911 | 115 | — |
| THREE MILE BRANCH | North Carolina | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,200 |
| S.C.L. RR | North Carolina | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 400 |
| INDIANA & OHIO CENTRAL R | Ohio | Good | 1911 | 115 | 11,414 |
| LITTLE RUN | Ohio | Good | 1911 | 115 | 91 |
| WHEELING & LAKE ERIE RR | Ohio | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 5,545 |
| WEST BR EUCLID CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1911 | 115 | 4,921 |
| CONRAIL RR | Ohio | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 6,702 |
| PADDYS RUN CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1911 | 115 | 1,021 |
| SALT RUN | Ohio | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 59 |
| PLUM CREEK NICHOLS RD. | Ohio | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 624 |
| BANNISTER DITCH REED | Ohio | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 351 |
| BIG RUN | Ohio | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 172 |
| HERRODS CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 66 |
| PURCELL CREEK BR. | Oklahoma | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 100 |
| GENTRY CREEK | Oklahoma | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 100 |
| WAGON CREEK | Oklahoma | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 100 |
| CREEK | Oklahoma | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 50 |
| CREEK | Oklahoma | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 100 |
| TIMBER LAKE CREEK | Oklahoma | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 100 |
| CREEK | Oklahoma | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 100 |
| CREEK | Oklahoma | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 100 |
| DEEP FORK CREEK | Oklahoma | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 1,400 |
| NICE CREEK | Oregon | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 732 |
| ASHLAND CREEK | Oregon | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 9,979 |
| CONEWAGO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 100 |
| GIRTYS RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 2,500 |
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.