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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redwood Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 55 |
| W BRANCH KICKAPOO CR | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 60 |
| BR MUD PINE CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 60 |
| SUGAR Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 120 |
| LOST RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 225 |
| HIGHLAND CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 112 |
| RACCOON R & TRAIL | Iowa | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 7,253 |
| N FORK MAQUOKETA RIVER | Iowa | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,428 |
| MINERS CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 4 |
| FROG CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 536 |
| SHELL ROCK RIVER | Iowa | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 3,435 |
| LITTLE BIG CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 232 |
| DRAINAGE | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,054 |
| NAGLE CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 45 |
| IOWA RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 10,950 |
| DRY CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 10,953 |
| BUSH BRANCH | Iowa | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 11 |
| MIDDLE RIVER | Iowa | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 5 |
| MIDDLE RIVER | Iowa | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| NORTH RIVER | Iowa | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 35 |
| MIDDLE RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 29 |
| PAINT CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 60 |
| BR PATTERSON CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 29 |
| CLEAR CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 5 |
| LITTLE BEAVER CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 40 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 20 |
| BIG CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| BIG CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 51 |
| BIG CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| PRAIRIE CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 5 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 11 |
| MONTGOMERY CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 5 |
| MONTGOMERY CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 15 |
| BLUFF CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 39 |
| STREAM | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 15 |
| COLD WATER CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| ELKHORN CREEK (LITTLE) | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 35 |
| STREAM | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 20 |
| ROCK CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| FIDDLE CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 20 |
| FIDDLE CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 20 |
| LITTLE SIOUX RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 62 |
| SCHNEIDERS CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 41 |
| SNY MAGILL CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 35 |
| BR NORTH RACCOON RIVER | Iowa | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 40 |
| LONG CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 15 |
| COULEE | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 44 |
| BRANCH WOLF CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 44 |
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.