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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VILLAGE CK | Alabama | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 700 |
| VILLAGE CK | Alabama | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 5,500 |
| VILLAGE CK | Alabama | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,500 |
| Socapatoy Creek | Alabama | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| SHADES CREEK | Alabama | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,730 |
| TALLAHATCHEE CREEK | Alabama | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 186 |
| HURRICANE CREEK | Alabama | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 125 |
| Emuckfaw Creek | Alabama | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| RAILROAD @ WALNUT STREET | Alabama | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,000 |
| MOENKOPI WASH | Arizona | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| Soap Box Canyon | Arizona | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 800 |
| Walnut Creek | Arizona | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 140 |
| Chase Creek | Arizona | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 358 |
| Buffalo Creek - Polk Co. | Arkansas | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 300 |
| Orten Creek-Scott Co. | Arkansas | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 69 |
| Big Fork Creek-Polk Co. | Arkansas | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 70 |
| HUTTON CREEK | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| SACRAMENTO RIVER | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 320 |
| STRONGS CREEK | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 4,924 |
| SHOTGUN CREEK | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| PAYNES CREEK SLOUGH | California | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,373 |
| SAMSON SLOUGH | California | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,837 |
| THEMPER DITCH | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 4,152 |
| WILLOW CREEK | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,678 |
| WILLOW CREEK OVERFLOW | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,678 |
| WILSON CREEK OVERFLOW | California | Good | 1915 | 111 | 2,678 |
| EAST FORK WILSON CREEK | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,678 |
| CROSS DRAIN | California | Good | 1915 | 111 | 11,600 |
| CROSS DRAIN | California | Good | 1915 | 111 | 11,600 |
| NELSON SLOUGH | California | Good | 1915 | 111 | 1,254 |
| LOST SLOUGH | California | Good | 1915 | 111 | 1,380 |
| MIDDLE FORK HAMLIN SLU | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,254 |
| OSTAP ARCH | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 5,462 |
| POWELL SLOUGH | California | Good | 1915 | 111 | 6,400 |
| STONE CORRAL CREEK OVFL | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,976 |
| FUNKS CREEK OVERFLOW | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 642 |
| SYCAMORE SLOUGH | California | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 70 |
| SYCAMORE SLOUGH | California | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 60 |
| LITTLE INDIAN CREEK | California | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 37 |
| GRASSHOPPER SLOUGH | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25,000 |
| DRY CREEK | California | Good | 1915 | 111 | 22,000 |
| BEST SLOUGH | California | Good | 1915 | 111 | 25,000 |
| ROCK CREEK | California | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 62 |
| STEMPLE CREEK | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 3,100 |
| SANTA ROSA CREEK | California | Good | 1915 | 111 | 500 |
| MAACAMA CREEK | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 800 |
| DRY CREEK | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 838 |
| CALABAZAS CREEK | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 800 |
| SCHOOL DRAW | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 3,200 |
| JAMESON CANYON CREEK | California | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 4,470 |
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.