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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAHWAY RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 25,190 |
| WASHINGTON SEC (Conrail) | New Jersey | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 2,374 |
| RARITAN VALLEY LINE | New Jersey | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 9,015 |
| SHAVER CREEK | New York | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 2,637 |
| THOMAS CREEK | New York | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 10,027 |
| JEDDO CREEK | New York | Good | 1914 | 112 | 3,472 |
| STERLING CREEK WEST BRAN | New York | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 626 |
| HANS CREEK | New York | Good | 1914 | 112 | 42 |
| CAYADUTTA CREEK | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 292 |
| CAYADUTTA CREEK | New York | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 583 |
| ASHOKAN RESERVOIR | New York | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 1,600 |
| N Y & ATLANTIC/LI | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 11,520 |
| B.Q.E. N Y & ATLANTIC/L | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 6,017 |
| NYCTA SEA BEACH L | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 2,816 |
| NYCTA SEA BEACH L | New York | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 3,010 |
| NYCTA SEA BEACH L | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 20,372 |
| NYCTA SEA BEACH L | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 17,199 |
| NYCTA SEA BEACH L | New York | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 4,128 |
| LIRR PORT WASH BR | New York | Good | 1914 | 112 | 1,807 |
| LIRR PORT WASH BR | New York | Good | 1914 | 112 | 2,733 |
| LIRR MAIN LINE | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 6,707 |
| LIRR MAIN LINE | New York | Good | 1914 | 112 | 841 |
| LIRR MAIN LINE | New York | Good | 1914 | 112 | 9,047 |
| MILL CREEK | New York | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 60 |
| COBLESKILL CREEK | New York | Good | 1914 | 112 | 378 |
| BRONX RIVER | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 9,505 |
| ERIE CANAL - LOCK 9 MOH | New York | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 2,741 |
| CHAMPLAIN CANAL | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 134 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 275 |
| CAYUGA & SENECA CANAL P | New York | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 503 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 1,013 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 3,252 |
| GANARGUA CREEK | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | — |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 2,836 |
| Erie Canal Trailway ERI | New York | Good | 1914 | 112 | 10,027 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 14,247 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 988 |
| Erie Canalway Trail Eri | New York | Good | 1914 | 112 | 839 |
| Canalway Trail Erie Can | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 331 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 4,319 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 5,298 |
| APPLE CREEK | North Dakota | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 2,900 |
| S BRANCH BEAVER CREEK | North Dakota | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 24 |
| WILD RICE RIVER | North Dakota | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 20 |
| PIPESTEM CREEK | North Dakota | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 1 |
| PARK RIVER | North Dakota | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 15 |
| PARK RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 5 |
| LITTLE MUDDY RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 20 |
| FLAT FORK CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1914 | 112 | 50 |
| UNNAMED STREAM | Ohio | Fair | 1914 | 112 | 111 |
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.