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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COLE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 75 |
| COLE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 120 |
| OVER FREELAND RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 349 |
| Wolf Creek | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,090 |
| TREASTER RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 200 |
| MEADOW CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 75 |
| APPENZELL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 145 |
| APPENZELL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 187 |
| SCIOTO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 97 |
| MAUSES CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| MARTINS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,415 |
| OVER MAHANOY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 124 |
| POKEY RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 160 |
| WILSON CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 255 |
| QUEMAHONING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 524 |
| LAUREL RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| PINEY RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 20 |
| DRAKE RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| NORFOLK SOUTHERN RR | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,012 |
| NORFOLK SOUTHERN RR | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 82 |
| NORFOLK SOUTHERN RR | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 482 |
| WHITE DEER CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1915 | 111 | 163 |
| OVER LITTLE SANDY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 143 |
| OVER BR. SCRUBGRASS CK. | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| CHERRY RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| FROMAN RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 7,022 |
| FROMAN RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 7,022 |
| BUFFALO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,746 |
| BUFFALO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1915 | 111 | 38 |
| BUFFALO CREEK TRIB. | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 90 |
| BEAVER RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | — |
| WHITEHORN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| JACKS RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| BENNETT RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 341 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 298 |
| SO BRANCH CODORUS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,238 |
| SW DRAINAGE CANAL | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 29,821 |
| DRAINAGE CANAL | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | — |
| CONRAIL (TRACK REMOVED) | Pennsylvania | Good | 1915 | 111 | 7,100 |
| CONRAIL | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 3,600 |
| Wissahickon Creek | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| FDR Park Lake | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 300 |
| FDR Park Lake | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| FDR Park Lake | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 300 |
| Hollander Creek | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 300 |
| Hollander Creek | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 300 |
| WHEELING CREEK TRIB | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 30 |
| TENMILE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 20 |
| GOSHENHOPPEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,000 |
| THORN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 300 |
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.