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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLIFF | New Jersey | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 13,960 |
| NATIONAL DOCKS SECONDARY | New Jersey | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 20,760 |
| CLIFF AT E END 76TH ST | New Jersey | Good | 1915 | 111 | 19,870 |
| AMTRAK NE CORRIDOR | New Jersey | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 6,446 |
| WRECK POND BROOK | New Jersey | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 5,412 |
| MILLSTONE RIVER | New Jersey | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 34,650 |
| MORRISTOWN LINE MP 24.96 | New Jersey | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,910 |
| PEQUANNOCK RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 10,010 |
| POST BROOK | New Jersey | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 475 |
| PETERS BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 3,356 |
| CLOVE BROOK | New Jersey | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 700 |
| BEAVER RUN(PAULINS KILL) | New Jersey | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 19,298 |
| RAHWAY RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,575 |
| MUSCONETCONG RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 97 |
| Rio Grande River | New Mexico | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| SILVER CREEK | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 5,683 |
| PLATTEKILL CREEK | New York | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 4,358 |
| RACEWAY | New York | Good | 1915 | 111 | 5,687 |
| MILL BROOK | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 734 |
| LG IS/ NY & ATLAN | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 15,766 |
| STEUBEN CREEK | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 628 |
| MUD CREEK | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 143 |
| ELMORE TAIL RACE | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,227 |
| EX-NYCRR PUTNAM B | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,932 |
| EX-NYCRR PUTNAM B | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,920 |
| N Y & ATLANTIC/LI NYCTA | New York | Good | 1915 | 111 | 8,554 |
| L.I.-NY& ATLANTIC | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | — |
| BLACK CREEK | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 148 |
| PALMER AVENUE PALMER AV | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | — |
| PALMER AVENUE PALMER AV | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 6,458 |
| POWAMPPOKONK CRK | New York | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 210 |
| HOLLOW TREE BROOK | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 18 |
| FALL CREEK | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 239 |
| FALL CREEK | New York | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 114 |
| ELBOW CREEK | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 242 |
| ROBBS CREEK | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 14 |
| TAUGHANNOCK CREEK | New York | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 580 |
| OATKA CREEK | New York | Good | 1915 | 111 | 601 |
| WALLKILL RIVER | New York | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 3,916 |
| COUNTY ROAD 68 | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | — |
| CHAUMONT RIVER | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,228 |
| ONONDAGA LAKE OUTLET ON | New York | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 2,522 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,675 |
| NYS Barge Canal | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,144 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 11,156 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 866 |
| ERIE CANAL | New York | Good | 1915 | 111 | 1,612 |
| MNRR HU LINE | New York | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 706 |
| CAMP CREEK | North Carolina | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 60 |
| CHANTA PETA CREEK | North Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
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.