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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMTRAK RAILROAD | Connecticut | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 13,600 |
| HOUSATONIC RR | Connecticut | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 343 |
| PROV & WORC RAILROAD | Connecticut | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 8,452 |
| NORWALK RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 2,185 |
| NAUGATUCK RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 12,900 |
| MIDDLE RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 914 |
| W BRANCH NAUGATUCK RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 3,090 |
| BETTS POND | Delaware | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 24,039 |
| PROCTOR CREEK | Georgia | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 3,620 |
| GA NORTHEASTERN RR | Georgia | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 240 |
| PAHOEHOE STRM | Hawaii | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 13,600 |
| OPEA STREAM | Hawaii | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 20 |
| MAKIKI ST/MAKIKI STRM | Hawaii | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 3,223 |
| HANALEI RIVER | Hawaii | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 8,800 |
| WAIOLI STRM | Hawaii | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 3,300 |
| WAIKAMOI STRM | Hawaii | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 1,800 |
| PUOHOKAMOA STRM | Hawaii | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 1,800 |
| HAIPUAENA STRM | Hawaii | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 1,800 |
| ELK CREEK TRESTLE | Idaho | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 100 |
| BIG CREEK TRESTLE | Idaho | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 100 |
| AGATHA CREEK TRESTLE | Idaho | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 100 |
| BLACK PRINCE TRESTLE | Idaho | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 100 |
| JACOT CREEK | Idaho | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 40 |
| MERCURY CREEK | Idaho | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 40 |
| BOND CREEK | Idaho | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 40 |
| SLOUGH BRIDGE | Idaho | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 15 |
| TROUT CREEK | Idaho | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 15 |
| E Trib to Shoal Crk | Illinois | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 600 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Good | 1912 | 114 | 500 |
| IROQUOIS RIVER | Illinois | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 200 |
| RAVINE | Illinois | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 525 |
| MILL RACE | Illinois | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 3,450 |
| SPRING CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 3,100 |
| WABASH RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 1,153 |
| ST JOSEPH RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 3,025 |
| Middle Fork WILDCAT Cr | Indiana | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 39 |
| Br Wabash & Erie Canal | Indiana | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 150 |
| CLIFTY CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 180 |
| GOOSE CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 120 |
| JACK CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 110 |
| BR MIDDLE FK BLUE RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 243 |
| BEAR Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 260 |
| WHITE BROOK | Indiana | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 41 |
| NETTLE CREEK | Indiana | Good | 1912 | 114 | 719 |
| LITTLE BEAR CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 340 |
| CEDAR RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 1,610 |
| MINERS CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 11 |
| AMES CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 16 |
| RACCOON RIVER | Iowa | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 916 |
| MINERVA CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 62 |
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.