Historic Bridges in Texas
8,191 bridges built before 1951 in Texas still in service today.
Bridges Built Before 1951
The United States has 8,191 bridges in Texas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRA IRRIGATION CANAL | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 4,874 |
| CANEY CREEK | Texas | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 1,083 |
| COW BAYOU TRIBUTARY | Texas | Good | 1950 | 76 | 371 |
| COOPERS GULLY | Texas | Good | 1950 | 76 | 328 |
| COOPERS GULLY | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 2,180 |
| ANDERSON GULLY | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 659 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Good | 1950 | 76 | 511 |
| DRAKES BRANCH | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 879 |
| DRAW | Texas | Good | 1950 | 76 | 110 |
| PALO BLANCO CREEK | Texas | Good | 1950 | 76 | 415 |
| Drainage Ditch | Texas | Good | 1950 | 76 | 4,913 |
| RESACA DE LA GUERRA | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 4,953 |
| EDINBURG MAIN CANAL | Texas | Good | 1950 | 76 | 14,022 |
| S FLOODWATER CHANNEL | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 32 |
| S FLOODWATER CHANNEL | Texas | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 400 |
| S FLOODWATER CHANNEL | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 21 |
| ARROYO COLORADO | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 113 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 1,313 |
| IRRIGATION CANAL | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 181 |
| IRRIGATION CANAL | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 316 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 1,653 |
| EDINBURG MAIN CANAL | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 2,505 |
| DRAW | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 15 |
| DRAW | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 4,150 |
| ROSITA CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 830 |
| MITCHELL BRANCH | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 30 |
| MITCHELL BRANCH | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 42 |
| DRAW | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 40 |
| DRAW | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 50 |
| NUECES RIVER SLOUGH | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 30 |
| SAN IDELFONSO CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 100 |
| SALADO CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 2,051 |
| DRAW | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 2,051 |
| EL GATO CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 2,051 |
| DRAW | Texas | Good | 1950 | 76 | 2,051 |
| CALICHE CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 2,051 |
| TORRES CREEK TRIBUTARY | Texas | Good | 1950 | 76 | 1,830 |
| TORRES CREEK | Texas | Good | 1950 | 76 | 1,830 |
| TORRES CREEK TRIBUTARY | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 1,830 |
| TORRES CREEK TRIBUTARY | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 1,898 |
| TORRES CREEK TRIBUTARY | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 1,898 |
| BLACK CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 1,898 |
| BLACK CREEK TRIBUTARY | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 1,898 |
| MESQUITOSO CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 1,898 |
| DRAW | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 1,898 |
| DRAW | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 2,028 |
| BECERRA CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 252 |
| CHUPADORA CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 591 |
| ZACATE CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 6,611 |
| ZACATE CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 7,781 |
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.