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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLACKSTONE RIVER | Rhode Island | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 14,500 |
| AMTRAK & P&W RR | Rhode Island | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,010 |
| BEAVERDAM CK OVERFLOW | South Carolina | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 7,000 |
| VISTA GREENWAY | South Carolina | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,950 |
| VISTA GREENWAY | South Carolina | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 375 |
| CREEK | South Dakota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 60 |
| MUD CREEK | South Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 98 |
| ENEMY CK | South Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 64 |
| ENEMY CK | South Dakota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 149 |
| WOLF CK | South Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 43 |
| WOLF CK | South Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| WOLF CK | South Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| MEDICINE CK | South Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 43 |
| CK | South Dakota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 45 |
| NORTH BR DRY CK | South Dakota | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 69 |
| TRIB. TO BIG SIOUX RIVER | South Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
| TRIB. TO BIG SIOUX RIVER | South Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 69 |
| SPRING CREEK | South Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 69 |
| TURTLE CREEK | South Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 55 |
| FOSTER CREEK | South Dakota | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 31 |
| NINE MILE CREEK | Tennessee | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 350 |
| CSX RAILROAD | Tennessee | Poor | 1915 | 111 | — |
| BUFFALO CREEK | Tennessee | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 3,450 |
| DOE RIVER | Tennessee | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 800 |
| BROWN CREEK | Tennessee | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 3,618 |
| WOLFTEVER CREEK | Tennessee | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 240 |
| STOCK CREEK | Tennessee | Good | 1915 | 111 | 3,647 |
| ROSEBERRY CREEK | Tennessee | Good | 1915 | 111 | 250 |
| STOCK CREEK | Tennessee | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 710 |
| HINES CREEK | Tennessee | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,151 |
| BRANCH | Tennessee | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,713 |
| BRANCH | Tennessee | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| BRANCH | Tennessee | Good | 1915 | 111 | 651 |
| BRANCH | Tennessee | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 651 |
| BRANCH | Tennessee | Good | 1915 | 111 | 630 |
| ROUND LICK CREEK | Tennessee | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 430 |
| NEAL BRANCH | Tennessee | Good | 1915 | 111 | 540 |
| BUNTON BRANCH | Texas | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 919 |
| CAT CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 15,285 |
| BOGGY CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 356 |
| SLAUGHTER CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,903 |
| SAN ANTONIO RIVER | Texas | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 6,770 |
| SAN ANTONIO RIVER | Texas | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 5,510 |
| DRAW | Texas | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 60 |
| TURTLE CREEK | Texas | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 6,214 |
| TURTLE CR TRIB | Texas | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 6,214 |
| WEST CANAL | Utah | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 189 |
| COAL WASH | Utah | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 378 |
| OGDEN RIVER | Utah | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,040 |
| E. BR. PASSUMPSIC RIVER | Vermont | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
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.