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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POESTEN KILL | New York | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 7,758 |
| OWASCO OUTLET | New York | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 2,195 |
| MNRR NH LINE | New York | Poor | 1886 | 140 | 4,951 |
| ONESQUETHAW CREEK | New York | Poor | 1886 | 140 | 137 |
| LITTLE MUSKINGUM RIVER | Ohio | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 209 |
| Muskingum River | Ohio | Good | 1886 | 140 | 1,236 |
| W. BR. WOLF CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1886 | 140 | 209 |
| VALLEY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 24 |
| CHEST CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1886 | 140 | 171 |
| BUSHKILL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 13,117 |
| GAYLORD CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1886 | 140 | 25 |
| CSX TRANSPORTATION | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1886 | 140 | 2,529 |
| ABBOTT RUN | Rhode Island | Poor | 1886 | 140 | — |
| ABBOTT RUN CANAL | Rhode Island | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 1,943 |
| ABBOTT RUN | Rhode Island | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 1,943 |
| JOES BROOK | Vermont | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 100 |
| WEST RIVER | Vermont | Good | 1886 | 140 | 200 |
| ELK CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1886 | 140 | 10 |
| MATON RIVER | Puerto Rico | Poor | 1886 | 140 | 10,700 |
| CIBUCO RIVER | Puerto Rico | Poor | 1886 | 140 | 800 |
| DEPRESSION | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1886 | 140 | 7,200 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 6,580 |
| AMTRAK RAILROAD | Connecticut | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 350 |
| HOGAN CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 3,050 |
| SUGAR CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 240 |
| SAND CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 75 |
| PATOKA RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 120 |
| CLEAR CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 25 |
| GWYNNS FALLS | Maryland | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 20,504 |
| OWENS CREEK | Maryland | Good | 1887 | 139 | 59 |
| WATER WARE RIVER | Massachusetts | Good | 1887 | 139 | 259 |
| WATER LITTLE RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 26,570 |
| RR MACRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 390 |
| E CHAN MISSISSIPPI RIVER | Minnesota | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 2,533 |
| SOUTH BRANCH RARITAN RVR | New Jersey | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 3,356 |
| Pompton River | New Jersey | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 18,571 |
| MNRR NH LINE | New York | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 3,048 |
| MNRR NH LINE | New York | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 7,948 |
| MNRR NH LINE | New York | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 1,751 |
| MNRR NH LINE | New York | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 500 |
| MNRR NH LINE | New York | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 4,094 |
| SAMS CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 30 |
| CAMP RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 80 |
| NORTH BR NESHAMINY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 100 |
| FRENCH CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 187 |
| HAMMER CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 400 |
| BRANCH OF JORDAN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 410 |
| FIVE MILE RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 23,102 |
| FROG HOLLOW CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 6,623 |
| STONYCREEK RIVER | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 75 |
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.