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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N BR CHICAGO RIVER | Illinois | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 4,600 |
| UNION STATION RR TRK | Illinois | Good | 1916 | 110 | 7,600 |
| BUSH CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 25 |
| CLAYPOOL DR DITCH | Illinois | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 100 |
| LOUIS CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 75 |
| COON CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 25 |
| COON CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 25 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 75 |
| TRIB TO SPRING CR | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 50 |
| TRIB POND GROVE CK | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 1,400 |
| FURNACECREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 50 |
| HELLS BRANCH | Illinois | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 25 |
| MID FK N BR CHI RIV | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 2,650 |
| INDIAN CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 200 |
| MENDOTA CR | Illinois | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 100 |
| BRUSHY FORK | Illinois | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 50 |
| JOE CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 50 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 20 |
| PADDOCK CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 125 |
| HORSE CRK. | Illinois | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 20 |
| TRIB TO SILVER CK | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 200 |
| HURRICANE CR | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 25 |
| FARGO RUN | Illinois | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 75 |
| HADLEY CR TRIBUTARY | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 25 |
| Little Blue Creek | Illinois | Good | 1916 | 110 | 50 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 1,000 |
| HORNEY BRANCH | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 150 |
| W BR LITTLE WABASH R | Illinois | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 475 |
| FLAT BRANCH | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 50 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 50 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 50 |
| BR CROOKED CR | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 25 |
| NORTH CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 500 |
| BR LITTLE CROOKED CR | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 50 |
| BR GRAND POINT CR | Illinois | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 50 |
| JACKSON CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1916 | 110 | 9,150 |
| Middle Fork WILDCAT Cr | Indiana | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 326 |
| BR CONNELEY DITCH | Indiana | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 158 |
| LAUGHERY CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 100 |
| VERNON FK MUSCATATUCK R | Indiana | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 110 |
| STONY CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 6,350 |
| BIG BLUE RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 240 |
| TRIB TO WHITE LICK CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 175 |
| LITTLE KANKAKEE RIVER | Indiana | Good | 1916 | 110 | 100 |
| FALL CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 856 |
| PLEASANT RUN | Indiana | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 1,482 |
| BEAN CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 3,550 |
| STATE DITCH | Indiana | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 233 |
| LITTLE EAGLE CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 25,347 |
| BEAVER LAKE DITCH | Indiana | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 53 |
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.