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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRAIRIE CREEK | Oregon | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 241 |
| BECKETS RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 4,603 |
| PINE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,927 |
| HOWES RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 629 |
| PINE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 4,660 |
| PINE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 4,130 |
| CSX/AV RR SALINE ST | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 6,000 |
| GIRTYS RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,000 |
| GIRTYS RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 4,000 |
| N-S RR/R-R ST/CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 2,002 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 112 |
| BEAVERDAM CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 21 |
| WILLOW CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 11,268 |
| PLUM CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 376 |
| VANSCOYOC RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 141 |
| CLOVER CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 67 |
| BULLARD CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| WEST BR. SUGAR CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 500 |
| READING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 3,903 |
| TRIB.DELAWARE RIVER | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,951 |
| SOUTH BRANCH GLADE RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| LITTLE BUFFALO RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| TRIB. LITTLE BUFFALO RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| BONNIE BROOK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| W.BR.SUSQUEHANNA RIVER | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 540 |
| WALNUT RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 307 |
| WALNUT RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 308 |
| LICK RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 250 |
| BUCK RUN & DOE RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 307 |
| BROAD RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 959 |
| FRENCH CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 491 |
| SHAMONA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,866 |
| BRANCH OF BEAVER RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 35 |
| SANDY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| MORAVIAN RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| BENNETT BRANCH | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| LAUREL RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| LUTHERSBURGBRSANDYLICKCR | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 80 |
| TRIB TO CATAWISSA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,298 |
| OVER TORRY RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 250 |
| OVER SIXTEEN MILE CK BR | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 7,741 |
| OVER ROSS RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 161 |
| WHITETHORN RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 287 |
| CRABAPPLE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 159 |
| RUFF CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 57 |
| BIG RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | — |
| CALLEN RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 144 |
| TUSCARORA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| NORFOLK SOUTHERN RR | Pennsylvania | Good | 1915 | 111 | 319 |
| OVER SPRING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 86 |
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.