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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRIB CRANE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 20 |
| Sun River | Montana | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 40 |
| CLARK FORK 053 | Montana | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 174 |
| MUSSELSHELL RIVER 015 | Montana | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 34 |
| MUSSELSHELL RIVER 018 | Montana | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 100 |
| LITTLE BLUE RIVER | Nebraska | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 50 |
| NIOBRARA RIVER | Nebraska | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 5 |
| NIOBRARA RIVER | Nebraska | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 35 |
| SCHOOL CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 45 |
| W FK BIG BLUE RIVER | Nebraska | Good | 1916 | 110 | 20 |
| MUD CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 20 |
| E BR MUDDY CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 5 |
| MUDDY CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 5 |
| SAPPA CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 75 |
| HAWTHORNE CREEK | Nebraska | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 50 |
| NIOBRARA RIVER | Nebraska | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 5 |
| NIOBRARA RIVER | Nebraska | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 20 |
| COLES BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 2,724 |
| Morristown Line MP 16.38 | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 8,690 |
| BAYONNE PARK FOOTPATH | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 435 |
| BAYONNE PARK FOOTPATH | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 435 |
| BAYONNE PARK FOOTPATH | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 435 |
| SWAN CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 3,776 |
| WRECK POND BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 4,492 |
| PASSAIC RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 3,914 |
| WEASEL BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 3,340 |
| INTAKE CANAL & AQUEDUCTS | New Jersey | Good | 1916 | 110 | 18,019 |
| PASSAIC RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 37,925 |
| TOTOWA SPUR | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 12,400 |
| GREEN BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 9,245 |
| GREEN BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 9,918 |
| POHATCONG CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 470 |
| WASHINGTON SEC (CONRAIL) | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 3,577 |
| WASHINGTON SEC (NS) | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 269 |
| D&R CANAL FEEDER | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 3,652 |
| D&R FEEDER CANAL | New Jersey | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 4,393 |
| DEL. & RAR. CANAL FEEDER | New Jersey | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 7,233 |
| SILVER CREEK | New York | Good | 1916 | 110 | 6,266 |
| SKANEATELES CREEK | New York | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 33 |
| CHAUMONT RIVER | New York | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 1,161 |
| OSWEGATCHIE RIVER | New York | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 3,876 |
| CSX TRANS/P MRRIS | New York | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 8,757 |
| METRO NO COMMUTER | New York | Good | 1916 | 110 | 5,878 |
| METRO NO COMMUTER | New York | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 8,260 |
| NYCTA BRIGHTON LN | New York | Poor | 1916 | 110 | 16,223 |
| NYCTA BRIGHTON LN | New York | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 10,701 |
| NYCTA FRANKLIN LN | New York | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 15,825 |
| N Y & ATLANTIC/LI BRKLN | New York | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 8,291 |
| CSX TRANS/CPR&P&W | New York | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 3,848 |
| CSX TRANS/CPR&P&W | New York | Fair | 1916 | 110 | 8,756 |
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.