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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHEYENNE RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 24 |
| SHEYENNE RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 24 |
| GOOSE RIVER | North Dakota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 24 |
| JAMES RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| PARK RIVER | North Dakota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 27 |
| PARK RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| CREEK | North Dakota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 24 |
| FOREST RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 26 |
| JAMES RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 5 |
| MARGARET CK | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,397 |
| COUNTY LINE | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 90 |
| EAST FORK LITTLE MIAMI | Ohio | Good | 1915 | 111 | 184 |
| WILLS CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 797 |
| SIMMONS RUN | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 209 |
| BIG CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 8,872 |
| CHAGRIN RIVER | Ohio | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 4,146 |
| OLENTANGY RIVER | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,712 |
| OVER CONV CTR CONN & NSR | Ohio | Good | 1915 | 111 | 30,128 |
| EAGLE CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1915 | 111 | 489 |
| CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1915 | 111 | 489 |
| LITTLE TYMOCHTEE | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 324 |
| 1541 BRINKMAN DITCH | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 413 |
| INDIAN TRAIL CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 209 |
| PINEY FORK | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 209 |
| YELLOW CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 351 |
| WILLIAMSON RUN | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,158 |
| LITTLE JELLOWAY CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,277 |
| BAKER DT REDFERN RD. | Ohio | Good | 1915 | 111 | 983 |
| BRANCH OF DELAWARE CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 500 |
| MILTON RESERVOIR | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 3,370 |
| DRY RUN CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 400 |
| POPLAR CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 452 |
| WHETSTONE CREEK-CLOSED | Ohio | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 161 |
| TIMBER RUN | Ohio | Good | 1915 | 111 | 983 |
| SWAMP CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 475 |
| NORTH POWELL CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 607 |
| LITTLE CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| SANDUSKY RIVER | Ohio | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 2,227 |
| EAST RESERVOIR OUTLET | Ohio | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 11,127 |
| WEST BARNETZ CREEK | Oklahoma | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| TURKEY CREEK | Oklahoma | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| CREEK | Oklahoma | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 24 |
| SPRING CREEK | Oklahoma | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| OTTER CREEK | Oklahoma | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 24 |
| N. CANADIAN RIVER | Oklahoma | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| DRAW | Oregon | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 6,555 |
| B-81 OVER SW BERTHA BLVD | Oregon | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 17,757 |
| WILLOW CREEK EB | Oregon | Good | 1915 | 111 | 277 |
| B-88 X FILLED STREAMBED | Oregon | Good | 1915 | 111 | 567 |
| PRAIRIE CREEK | Oregon | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 235 |
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.