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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WATTS BRANCH | District of Columbia | Good | 1915 | 111 | 2,500 |
| ROCK CREEK | District of Columbia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 3,500 |
| LITTLE PAYNE CREEK | Florida | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 600 |
| BAKER CANAL | Florida | Good | 1915 | 111 | 17,900 |
| DOVE CREEK | Georgia | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 323 |
| ETOWAH RIVER | Georgia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 13,900 |
| HOLOINAWAWAE GULCH | Hawaii | Good | 1915 | 111 | 1,865 |
| ALAALAULA STRM | Hawaii | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 649 |
| PAPAHAWAHAWA STRM | Hawaii | Good | 1915 | 111 | 775 |
| WAIOHONU STRM | Hawaii | Good | 1915 | 111 | 775 |
| KAPIA STRM | Hawaii | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 775 |
| CLOVER CREEK | Idaho | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| HIGH LINE CANAL | Idaho | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 20 |
| PARADISE CREEK | Idaho | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,600 |
| HOLMAN CRK. | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| AVERY BRANCH | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| MCCURDY BRANCH | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| W. BUREAU CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| LIME CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 75 |
| Masters Fork | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| BRUSHY BRANCH | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,300 |
| DURBIN BRANCH | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| LOWIS BRANCH | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 20 |
| GEORGE BRANCH | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| LITTLE CALUMET RIVER | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 8,050 |
| FLAT CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| TRIB HURRICANE CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 20 |
| BEAR CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| LA MOINE RIVER | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| SPILLMAN CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| SHIPE CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| S HENDERSON CR | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| TRIB. TO IROQ. RIVER | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 250 |
| SPRING CR | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| BR COON CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| RAVINE | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 3,750 |
| TRIB SUGAR CR | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| HORSE CRK | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| SKILLET FORK | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 75 |
| MIDDLE FK MCKEE TRIB | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| TRIB OF KISER CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| LITTLE MARYS RIVER | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 575 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 300 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| BR OF YELLOW CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| BR OF LOCUST CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 150 |
| BR NORTH CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| Br of Elkhorn Creek | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| EAGLE SLOUGH DRAINAG | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| WILLOW BRANCH | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
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.