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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HORN CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 20 |
| LITTLE LAUREL CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 40 |
| SKIN CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 400 |
| ALDRIDGE BRANCH | West Virginia | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,500 |
| PLUM RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 300 |
| WEST FORK RIVER | West Virginia | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 350 |
| LAUREL CREEK | West Virginia | Good | 1911 | 115 | 86 |
| CORBIN BRANCH | West Virginia | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 50 |
| CORBIN BRANCH | West Virginia | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 90 |
| HUSTEAD FORK | West Virginia | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 90 |
| WEST FORK TWELVEPOLE CK | West Virginia | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 90 |
| WEST FK TWELVEPOLE CK | West Virginia | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 30 |
| WEST FK TWELVEPOLE CK | West Virginia | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 50 |
| APPLE CREEK | Wisconsin | Poor | 1911 | 115 | 625 |
| SNAKE RIVER | Wyoming | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 1,800 |
| BARRANQUITAS RIVER | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1911 | 115 | 5,000 |
| L*N RAIL ROAD | Alabama | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 1,128 |
| L*N RR | Alabama | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 1,000 |
| CO RT 1065 SUCARNOCHEE R | Alabama | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 40 |
| SILVER RUN CREEK | Alabama | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 430 |
| FIVE MILE CREEK | Alabama | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 2,502 |
| Little Colorado River | Arizona | Good | 1912 | 114 | 160 |
| HARRIS CREEK | Arkansas | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 80 |
| OAK RUN CREEK | California | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 530 |
| SHORT CREEK | California | Good | 1912 | 114 | 11,500 |
| LAKE DRAW | California | Good | 1912 | 114 | 11,500 |
| LONG CREEK | California | Good | 1912 | 114 | 6,800 |
| NORTH FORK FEATHER RIVER | California | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 170 |
| WILSON CREEK | California | Good | 1912 | 114 | 572 |
| LITTLE CHICO CREEK | California | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 18,400 |
| BIG CHICO CREEK | California | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 24,621 |
| SWARTZ CREEK | California | Good | 1912 | 114 | 346 |
| TAYLOR CREEK | California | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 12,000 |
| LONE TREE CREEK | California | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 100 |
| MOKELUMNE RIVER | California | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 23 |
| WOODS CREEK | California | Good | 1912 | 114 | 375 |
| CERES MAIN CANAL | California | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 7,400 |
| M.I.D. LATERAL #6 | California | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 9,500 |
| ATWATER CANAL | California | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 4,000 |
| STRIPED ROCK CREEK | California | Good | 1912 | 114 | 50 |
| LITTLE DRY CREEK | California | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 67,000 |
| FOWLER SWITCH CANAL | California | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 4,000 |
| KERN ISLAND CANAL | California | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 19,675 |
| LION CANYON CREEK | California | Good | 1912 | 114 | 2,400 |
| SR 110 ARROYO SECO ETC | California | Good | 1912 | 114 | 16,000 |
| ARROYO SECO CHANNEL | California | Good | 1912 | 114 | 26,327 |
| CARBON CANYON CHANNEL | California | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 1,000 |
| CENTRAL NEW ENGLAND RR | Connecticut | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 7,600 |
| AMTRAK RAILROAD | Connecticut | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 1,970 |
| CENTRAL NEW ENGLAND RR | Connecticut | Good | 1912 | 114 | 3,300 |
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.