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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado River | Arizona | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 5,430 |
| Quachita River-Polk Co. | Arkansas | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 220 |
| EAST FORK SCOTT RIVER | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 23 |
| SPRING GULCH | California | Good | 1914 | 112 | 9,800 |
| GAY CREEK | California | Good | 1914 | 112 | 2,001 |
| MOORE CREEK | California | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 1,922 |
| SOUR GRASS CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 1,922 |
| RICE CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 2,799 |
| BRANNIN CREEK | California | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 2,799 |
| HALL CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 3,348 |
| SCHRAMM CREEK | California | Good | 1914 | 112 | 3,348 |
| BURCH CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 3,800 |
| JEWETT CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 2,025 |
| SPANISH CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 140 |
| LOGAN CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 447 |
| NORTH FORK LOGAN CREEK | California | Good | 1914 | 112 | 460 |
| CAMPBELL CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 11,600 |
| BUTTE CREEK | California | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 122 |
| GLENN VALLEY SLOUGH OFLO | California | Good | 1914 | 112 | 1,298 |
| RUSSIAN RIVER | California | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 10,000 |
| NATHANSON CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 2,100 |
| WEBER CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 2,049 |
| SAN ANDREAS CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 1,443 |
| CHINESE CREEK | California | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 2,800 |
| ALKALI CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 16,000 |
| CURTIS CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 502 |
| MILLS CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 477 |
| M.I.D. LATERAL #4 | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 9,356 |
| T.I.D. CERES MAIN CANAL | California | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 473 |
| DUCK SLOUGH | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 384 |
| DUCK SLOUGH OVERFLOW | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 384 |
| OWENS CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 384 |
| HARTNELL GULCH | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 3,000 |
| CORBETT CANYON CREEK | California | Good | 1914 | 112 | 3,350 |
| EAST BRANCH CANAL | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 29,000 |
| RUBIO WASH | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 32,542 |
| ARROYO SECO CHAN | California | Good | 1914 | 112 | 3,570 |
| Live Oak Cyn. Channel | California | Good | 1914 | 112 | 204 |
| WEST CUCAMONGA WASH | California | Good | 1914 | 112 | 30,172 |
| MIDDLE CHANNEL DAY WASH | California | Good | 1914 | 112 | 47,000 |
| SAN ANTONIO OVERFLOW | California | Good | 1914 | 112 | 21,500 |
| SAN ANTONIO OVERFLOW | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 21,500 |
| CUCAMONGA OVERFLOW | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 31,500 |
| BUENA VISTA CREEK | California | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 19,173 |
| UNIVERSITY AVE | California | Good | 1914 | 112 | 2,179 |
| NECK RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 7,500 |
| STEELE BROOK | Connecticut | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 12,000 |
| METRO NORTH RAILROAD | Connecticut | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 552 |
| WILLIMANTIC RIVER | Connecticut | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 800 |
| LITTLE RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 572 |
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.