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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JORDAN CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 15 |
| EAST BR INDIAN CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 80 |
| TRIB DES MOINES R | Iowa | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 26 |
| BOONE RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 35 |
| SIDE DITCH BRIDGE | Iowa | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 10 |
| STREAM | Kansas | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 532 |
| TURKEY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 50 |
| S. BR. LIT. WALNUT RIV. | Kansas | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 30 |
| CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 45 |
| SPRING CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 45 |
| MOUND BRANCH CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 10 |
| HITCHIN CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 5 |
| SPRING CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 10 |
| TRIB. TO BUFFALO CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 20 |
| TRIB. TO CHERRY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 40 |
| TRIB. TO PUMPKIN CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 35 |
| TRIB. TO MUD CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 50 |
| RICHLAND CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 50 |
| MEDICINE CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 10 |
| CROOKED RIVER | Maine | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 240 |
| BIG BRK | Maine | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 73 |
| PISCATAQUIS RIVER | Maine | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 10,496 |
| MOOSE POND OUTLET | Maine | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 1,614 |
| LITTLE CATOCTIN CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 1,300 |
| CRICKET CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 12,830 |
| PILCHARD CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 5,662 |
| CSX RAILROAD | Maryland | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 1,600 |
| PINEY CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 317 |
| COMB CHARLES RV | Massachusetts | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 24,100 |
| RR (ABANDONED) | Massachusetts | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 500 |
| WATER MERRIMACK CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 6,500 |
| WATER SPICKET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 10,518 |
| WATER NEMASKET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 1,552 |
| WATER WEST RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 10,157 |
| WATER WESTFIELD BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 129 |
| STONY CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 176 |
| LITTLE PORTAGE CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 70 |
| N BR PENTWATER RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 20 |
| SMITHS CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 105 |
| HURON RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 18,300 |
| ELM CREEK | Minnesota | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 18 |
| SPRING CREEK | Minnesota | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 20 |
| RAINY RIVER | Minnesota | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 703 |
| BUILDING | Minnesota | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 21,500 |
| AMITY CREEK | Minnesota | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 77 |
| AMITY CREEK | Minnesota | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 72 |
| AMITY CREEK | Minnesota | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 130 |
| AMITY CREEK | Minnesota | Fair | 1912 | 114 | 72 |
| RICHLAND CR BR | Missouri | Poor | 1912 | 114 | 50 |
| DEER CR | Missouri | Good | 1912 | 114 | 23,967 |
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.