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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WATER POWER CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 14,400 |
| RR BMRR | Massachusetts | Good | 1885 | 141 | 4,050 |
| ST JOSEPH RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 1,144 |
| CLAY BROOK | New Hampshire | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 154 |
| SOUTH BR RARITAN RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 179 |
| CAPOOLONG CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 160 |
| SCHUYLER CREEK | New York | Poor | 1885 | 141 | 8,084 |
| SACANDAGA RIVER | New York | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 979 |
| LONG ISLAND-ML | New York | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 242 |
| CANASERAGA CREEK | New York | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 510 |
| GOOSE RIVER | North Dakota | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 20 |
| DOAN CREEK AT MLK BLVD | Ohio | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 20,699 |
| BIG DARBY CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1885 | 141 | 2,357 |
| BIG SEWICKLEY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 10 |
| GADDES RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 1,567 |
| OCTORARO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 130 |
| CONODOGUINET CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1885 | 141 | 250 |
| SOUTH FORK TENMILE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 25 |
| STAFFORD MEADOW BROOK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1885 | 141 | 1,200 |
| CHIQUES CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1885 | 141 | 570 |
| ONTELAUNEE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1885 | 141 | 50 |
| Little Shenango River | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1885 | 141 | 57 |
| W BR DYBERRY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1885 | 141 | 22 |
| CRESHEIM CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1885 | 141 | 8,525 |
| Manayunk Canal | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 200 |
| CSX R.R. | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 16,516 |
| BLACKSTONE RIVER | Rhode Island | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 3,811 |
| SAUGATUCKET RIVER | Rhode Island | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 8,515 |
| MILL POND | Rhode Island | Fair | 1885 | 141 | 15,352 |
| MF HOLSTON RIVER | Virginia | Poor | 1885 | 141 | 168 |
| E FORK PLUM RIVER | Illinois | Poor | 1886 | 140 | 25 |
| FLATROCK RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 225 |
| SMALL CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1886 | 140 | 3,705 |
| CARRABASSET RIVER | Maine | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 74 |
| LITTLE GUNPOWDER FALLS | Maryland | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 223 |
| WATER HOOSIC RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 10,488 |
| TR RED LINE MATT CONN | Massachusetts | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 21,000 |
| WATER MONATIQUOT RIVER | Massachusetts | Good | 1886 | 140 | 6,200 |
| WATER MATFIELD RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 2,286 |
| WATER ASSABET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 14,400 |
| WATER ASSONET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 14,353 |
| WATER QUINSIGAMOND RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 6,080 |
| WATER ABBOTT RUN RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 3,750 |
| RR CSX | Massachusetts | Good | 1886 | 140 | 21,300 |
| KALAMAZOO RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 2,582 |
| GRAND RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 4,550 |
| PEMIGEWASSET RIVER | New Hampshire | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 50 |
| PAULINS KILL | New Jersey | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 266 |
| STONY KILL | New York | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 1,824 |
| MNRR NH LINE | New York | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 7,043 |
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.