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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORTH CEDAR CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 5 |
| FLOOD CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 44 |
| DD | Iowa | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 50 |
| BNSF RR | Iowa | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 15 |
| MUD CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 79 |
| KEIGLEY BRANCH | Iowa | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 80 |
| BRANCH IOWA RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 33 |
| BUTTRICK CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 26 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH NO. 3 | Iowa | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 30 |
| NORTH FORK YELLOW RIVER | Iowa | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 29 |
| CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 11 |
| UPPER IOWA RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 39 |
| ELK CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 75 |
| DELAWARE RIVER | Kansas | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 25 |
| DRY CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 5 |
| MUDDY CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 50 |
| Trib S.Br. L. Walnut Riv | Kansas | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 30 |
| LYON CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 50 |
| TRIB. TO DEER CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 50 |
| TRIB. TO NEOSHO RIVER | Kansas | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 30 |
| LITTLE SUGAR CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 40 |
| PERKINS CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 10 |
| WOLF CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 30 |
| WOLF CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 25 |
| WOLF CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 25 |
| TRIB. MARAIS DES CYGNES | Kansas | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 12 |
| TRIB. TO NEOSHO RIVER | Kansas | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 30 |
| THIRD STREET DRAIN | Kansas | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 630 |
| SABBATUS RIVER | Maine | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 2,812 |
| MILL YARD | Maine | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 310 |
| HERRING BRANCH | Maryland | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 753 |
| BR OF HIGHFIELD CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 192 |
| CENTRAL BOOKING PARKING | Maryland | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 2,382 |
| WATTS CREEK | Maryland | Poor | 1913 | 113 | 570 |
| HERRING RUN | Maryland | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 516 |
| WINTERS RUN | Maryland | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 11 |
| WATER ALEWIFE BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 650 |
| WATER BLACKSTONE CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 9,440 |
| TR BLUE LINE | Massachusetts | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 34,400 |
| WATER SALISBURY BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 1,600 |
| WATER SALISBURY BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 12,672 |
| WATER SWIFT RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 2,071 |
| WATER WESTERN CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 3,700 |
| RR MBTA/BMRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 2,450 |
| RR MBTA/BMRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 5,125 |
| RR MBTA/BMRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 3,425 |
| WATER E BR HOUSATONIC R | Massachusetts | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 4,267 |
| WATER SW BR HOUSATONIC R | Massachusetts | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 11,151 |
| WATER SW BR HOUSATONIC R | Massachusetts | Good | 1913 | 113 | 1,655 |
| RR MBTA/BMRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1913 | 113 | 10,900 |
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.