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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RR CSX | Massachusetts | Good | 1915 | 111 | 1,050 |
| SAND RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| PINE RUN CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 14,723 |
| S BR KALAMAZOO RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 55 |
| SHEBEON DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 240 |
| GRAND RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 15,940 |
| BRAYTON CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| OX CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| BAY OF THUNDER LAKE | Minnesota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 44 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 38 |
| S BR WILD RICE RIVER | Minnesota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 18 |
| BASSETT CREEK | Minnesota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 8,226 |
| BASSETT CREEK | Minnesota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 6,610 |
| BASSETT CREEK | Minnesota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 3,969 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 90 |
| LITTLE CANNON RIVER | Minnesota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 70 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 6 |
| KANARANZI CREEK | Minnesota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1 |
| S BR S FK ROOT RIVER | Minnesota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 64 |
| LAC QUI PARLE RIVER | Minnesota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 5 |
| FLORIDA CREEK | Minnesota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 5 |
| MIDTOWN GREENWAY | Minnesota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 786 |
| MIDTOWN GREENWAY | Minnesota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,020 |
| MIDTOWN GREENWAY | Minnesota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 3,772 |
| MIDTOWN GREENWAY | Minnesota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,609 |
| MIDTOWN GREENWAY | Minnesota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,544 |
| MIDTOWN GREENWAY | Minnesota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,020 |
| MIDTOWN GREENWAY | Minnesota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,102 |
| BURWELL CREEK | Mississippi | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,000 |
| BRANCH | Mississippi | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 520 |
| CROOKED RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 85 |
| INDIAN CR | Missouri | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 15 |
| N WHITE OAK CR | Missouri | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| N LINN CR | Missouri | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 5 |
| WHITEWATER RVR | Missouri | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 35 |
| BOEUF CR | Missouri | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| DR DITCH TO MISS R | Missouri | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 5 |
| HANLEY HILLS CR | Missouri | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 11,723 |
| MUDDY CR | Missouri | Good | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| PETER CR | Missouri | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| TRIB N BLACKBIRD C | Missouri | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 5 |
| CROOKED RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 35 |
| N FABIUS RVR | Missouri | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 35 |
| LIT WYACONDA RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 20 |
| SMITH BR | Missouri | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 5 |
| BR OF SNI-A-BAR CR | Missouri | Good | 1915 | 111 | 152 |
| FLAT CR | Missouri | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| FLAT CR | Missouri | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| SALT FK | Missouri | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| WOLFPEN CR | Missouri | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 20 |
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.