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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KEITH CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 9,300 |
| ST MARYS RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 4,525 |
| DUCK CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 150 |
| HAW CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 270 |
| NORTH FORK OF SALT CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| MIDDLE FORK SALT CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 15 |
| SILVER CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 120 |
| ILLINOIS CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 119 |
| POND CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 119 |
| BOGARD CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| BRANCH OF N HOGAN CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,050 |
| SALT CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 140 |
| BEAR CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 140 |
| GRAHAM CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 150 |
| NORTH FORK OF COAL CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| BIG SHAWNEE Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 120 |
| LITTLE SALT CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 250 |
| EAST FORK BLUE CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 225 |
| ROBB CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 20 |
| WHITE RIVER | Indiana | Good | 1915 | 111 | 16,600 |
| LITTLE WABASH RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 341 |
| BEAR CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | — |
| DEER CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 150 |
| BEAR CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| NETTLE CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| BRANCH OF TILLY DITCH | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 200 |
| SPRING CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 149 |
| EEL RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | — |
| LAZY RUN | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 190 |
| Branch of RACCOON Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 71 |
| JIM Branch | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 122 |
| MILL Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 63 |
| BIG WALNUT CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 180 |
| BIG WALNUT CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 110 |
| CLEAR CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 110 |
| HIGGINS BRANCH CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 250 |
| BIG WALNUT CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 130 |
| GREENVILLE CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | — |
| CABIN CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 112 |
| LITTLE FLATROCK RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| FLATROCK RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | — |
| CREEK TO OHIO RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 60 |
| GARRETT CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 60 |
| MIDDLE FORK CROOKED CR | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 80 |
| Branch of HONEY CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 188 |
| TURMAN CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 188 |
| WEST FORK OF TURMAN CR | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 157 |
| PIT RUN | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 283 |
| CHARLEY CRK VERMONT ST | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,320 |
| GOPHER CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 60 |
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.