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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIG MUDDY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 15 |
| DAVIS CR | Missouri | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 6 |
| MILL CR | Missouri | Good | 1915 | 111 | 750 |
| THOMPSON CR. | Missouri | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 15 |
| HICKORY ST BEARDSLEY | Missouri | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 9,496 |
| BIG HOLE RIVER 123 | Montana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| BLUEWATER CREEK 038 | Montana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| MUSSELSHELL RIVER 003 | Montana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| ELK CREEK 029 | Montana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| POTTER CREEK 005 | Montana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| BEAVER CREEK 132 | Montana | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| PUMPKIN CREEK 021 | Montana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| BEAVER CREEK 104 | Montana | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 68 |
| NORTH SHELL CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| W FK BIG BLUE RIVER | Nebraska | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| EAST MUDDY CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 20 |
| EAST MUDDY CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| ELDER CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| SICILY CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| TURKEY CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 5 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| YANKEE CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| BAZILE CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 60 |
| UNION CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 20 |
| BIG SANDY CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 35 |
| S FK LITTLE NEMAHA RIVER | Nebraska | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 15 |
| WILLOW CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| LONG BRANCH | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 35 |
| GOOLSBY CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| SARDINE BRANCH | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| SWAN CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| TRI-STATE CANAL | Nebraska | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| TRI-STATE CANAL | Nebraska | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 40 |
| LINCOLN CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| CLEAR CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 15 |
| BIG SANDY CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 40 |
| DRY CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| LOGAN CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 45 |
| DOG CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| N CHANNEL PLATTE RIVER | Nebraska | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 40 |
| AMMONOOSUC RIVER | New Hampshire | Good | 1915 | 111 | 96 |
| CONTOOCOOK RIVER | New Hampshire | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 147 |
| PISCATAQUOG (NORTH BR) | New Hampshire | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 5,707 |
| CSX(ABD) | New Hampshire | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 11,812 |
| BISHOP BROOK | New Hampshire | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 96 |
| LITTLE CREEK | New Jersey | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,760 |
| HAYNES CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 10,640 |
| COOPER RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 10,446 |
| N.BRANCH OF COOPER RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 10,446 |
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.