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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1ST BRANCH WHITE R. | Vermont | Good | 1883 | 143 | 50 |
| PATOKA RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 150 |
| LITTLE BLUE RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 100 |
| S FK BLUE RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1884 | 142 | 613 |
| GUNPOWDER FALLS | Maryland | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 300 |
| OCTORARO CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 1,279 |
| BASIN RUN | Maryland | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 526 |
| WATER MATFIELD RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 2,716 |
| TR GREEN LINE D | Massachusetts | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 22,000 |
| WATER CONCORD RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 15,600 |
| WATER MILL RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 28,060 |
| RCRRA | Minnesota | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 21,524 |
| DELAWARE RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 16,500 |
| WAPPINGER CREEK | New York | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 13,268 |
| KAATERSKILL CREEK | New York | Poor | 1884 | 142 | 279 |
| LITTLE BEAVER CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 324 |
| BIG WALNUT CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1884 | 142 | 78 |
| BEAVER RIVER | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1884 | 142 | 6,523 |
| YELLOW CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1884 | 142 | 45 |
| RUMMERFIELD CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 50 |
| PAUNNACUSSING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1884 | 142 | 147 |
| DELAWARE RIVER | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 13,200 |
| OVER STONE RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 250 |
| WISSAHICKON CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1884 | 142 | 5,864 |
| OVER OIL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1884 | 142 | 77 |
| PAWTUXET RIVER | Rhode Island | Poor | 1884 | 142 | 2,425 |
| SEWEE CREEK | Tennessee | Poor | 1884 | 142 | 20 |
| MEHERRIN RIVER | Virginia | Poor | 1884 | 142 | 815 |
| MILLIGAN CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1884 | 142 | 155 |
| BIG SANDY CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1884 | 142 | 10 |
| GANDEL CREEK | Puerto Rico | Poor | 1884 | 142 | 9,400 |
| FARMINGTON CANAL GREENWA | Connecticut | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 4,400 |
| TANKERHOOSEN RIVER | Connecticut | Good | 1885 | 141 | 21 |
| ST. JONES RIVER | Delaware | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 11,547 |
| SOUTH FORK BROAD RIVER | Georgia | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 519 |
| BAY CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 225 |
| SUGAR CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 102 |
| NINEVEH CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 143 |
| BR FALL FORK CLIFTY CREE | Indiana | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 130 |
| HARVEY BRANCH SALT CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1885 | 141 | 350 |
| BIG CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 100 |
| PATOKA RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1885 | 141 | 100 |
| BIG CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 250 |
| LAUGHERY CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 225 |
| OTTER CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 150 |
| Little VERMILION River | Indiana | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 233 |
| LITTLE PIGEON CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 60 |
| CSXT RAILROAD | Maryland | Poor | 1885 | 141 | 109 |
| CONOWINGO CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 136 |
| CASSELMAN RIVER | Maryland | Poor | 1885 | 141 | 130 |
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.