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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CONN. RIVER LINE R.R. | Vermont | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 380 |
| GREAT BROOK | Vermont | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 400 |
| KNOB HILL BROOK | Vermont | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 5,600 |
| POULTNEY RIVER | Vermont | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,000 |
| OTTER CREEK | Vermont | Good | 1915 | 111 | 250 |
| MIDDLE RIVER | Virginia | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 309 |
| Elk Creek | Virginia | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 130 |
| Spreading Spring Branch | Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 172 |
| Flat Creek | Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 348 |
| TEMPLES MILL | Virginia | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 809 |
| CRANES NEST RIVER | Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 101 |
| Blackwater River | Virginia | Good | 1915 | 111 | 136 |
| BEAVERDAM CREEK | Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 48 |
| NORTH FORK BEAVERDAM CK. | Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,643 |
| SMITH CREEK | Virginia | Good | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| MEADE BRANCH | Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 123 |
| INDIAN CREEK | Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 212 |
| MILL CR | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 24,100 |
| HJF CANAL | Washington | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 7,516 |
| PINE CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 364 |
| DRY WASH | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 112 |
| MIDDLE FORK | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 117 |
| CRAB CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 33 |
| WB LITTLE SPOKANE RIVER | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 98 |
| NO NAME CREEK | Washington | Good | 1915 | 111 | 153 |
| BRANCH FOUR MILE CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 10 |
| DRY WASH | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 52 |
| DRY RELIEF | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 25 |
| RAGING RIVER | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 15 |
| HATTON COULEE | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 3 |
| CLOQUALLUM CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,380 |
| DRY WASH | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1 |
| S FORK PALOUSE RIVER | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 2,034 |
| PORTAGE BAY | Washington | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 35,000 |
| MILL CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 10,563 |
| DESCHUTES RIVER | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 7,400 |
| PATIT CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| PATIT CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 225 |
| RATTLERS RUN CREEK | Washington | Good | 1915 | 111 | 85 |
| SUGAR CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 100 |
| MITCHELL RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 200 |
| MITCHELL RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 200 |
| SIMPSON CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 80 |
| CABIN RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 200 |
| NORTH FORK LUNICE CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,000 |
| Hardin Run | West Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 850 |
| Hardin Run | West Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 900 |
| ROBINSON RUN | West Virginia | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 1,200 |
| ROBINSON RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1915 | 111 | 1,200 |
| SALEM FORK | West Virginia | Poor | 1915 | 111 | 50 |
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.