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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSX | Maryland | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 6,500 |
| BIG HUNTING CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 450 |
| TOMS CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 170 |
| TOWNSEND/CENTREVILLE RR | Maryland | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 500 |
| WATER SALISBURY BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 11,100 |
| RR CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 3,851 |
| WATER MUDDY COVE BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 388 |
| WATER EAST RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 15,000 |
| SE BRANCH OF MAPLE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 212 |
| BRIAR HILL CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 50 |
| CANNON RIVER | Minnesota | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 5,850 |
| WEST INDIAN CREEK | Minnesota | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 12 |
| MIDTOWN GREENWAY | Minnesota | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 8,600 |
| DITCH | Minnesota | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 24 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 30 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 21 |
| MIDTOWN GREENWAY | Minnesota | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 1,249 |
| MIDTOWN GREENWAY | Minnesota | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 986 |
| MIDTOWN GREENWAY | Minnesota | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 5,200 |
| MIDTOWN GREENWAY | Minnesota | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 5,213 |
| GALLAGHER CREEK | Mississippi | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 470 |
| OLD TROLLY RAIL LINE | Mississippi | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 700 |
| LONG BR | Missouri | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 25 |
| BR OF FISHING RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 250 |
| TRIB TO PETITE SAL | Missouri | Good | 1914 | 112 | 60 |
| N FK OF WHITE RVR | Missouri | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 30 |
| ELK CREEK 041 | Montana | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 100 |
| PINKHAM CREEK 140 | Montana | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 100 |
| LITTLE BLACKFOOT R 027 | Montana | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 19 |
| BIG HOLE RIVER 009 | Montana | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 100 |
| ABANDONED RAILROAD | Montana | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 4,262 |
| SCHOOL CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 20 |
| LITTLE BAZILE CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 5 |
| STREAM | Nebraska | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 30 |
| W FK BIG BLUE RIVER | Nebraska | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 35 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 30 |
| REPUBLICAN RIVER | Nebraska | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 835 |
| RELIEF | New Hampshire | Good | 1914 | 112 | 1,065 |
| LAMPREY RIVER | New Hampshire | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 547 |
| LAKE CREEK | New Jersey | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 3,907 |
| Morristown Line MP 13.08 | New Jersey | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 1,540 |
| RAILROAD CSXT | New Jersey | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 3,663 |
| COPPER CREEK | New Jersey | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 2,380 |
| TRENTON LINE (CSXT) | New Jersey | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 6,163 |
| SAYREVILLE SEC (FORMER) | New Jersey | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 12,651 |
| Morristown Line MP 24.39 | New Jersey | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 2,200 |
| Morristown Line MP 28.69 | New Jersey | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 7,690 |
| WEASEL BROOK | New Jersey | Good | 1914 | 112 | 4,070 |
| MAURICE RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 5,789 |
| EAST BR MIDDLE BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 17,307 |
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.