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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIDDLE BR. WYALUSING CR. | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 50 |
| MDL BRANCH WYALUSING CRK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 100 |
| TENMILE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 10 |
| CROSS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 20 |
| TEMPLETON FORK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 40 |
| KINGS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 50 |
| KINGS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 67 |
| RACCOON CREEK TRIB | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 15 |
| RACCOON CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 40 |
| Wheeling Creek Trib | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 30 |
| WHEELING CREEK TRIB | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 50 |
| ROBINSON FORK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 20 |
| PIKE RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 500 |
| YELLOW BREECHES CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 263 |
| OLD WORC & BOSTON CANAL | Rhode Island | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 4,034 |
| MOSHASSUCK RIVER | Rhode Island | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 6,200 |
| NO. BR LAMOILLE R | Vermont | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 50 |
| LAMOILLE RIVER | Vermont | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 1,200 |
| CRAIG CREEK | Virginia | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 219 |
| Craig Creek | Virginia | Fair | 1887 | 139 | 36 |
| LEFT FORK OF SANDY CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 150 |
| TURTLE CREEK | Wisconsin | Poor | 1887 | 139 | 474 |
| BURGER CREEK | California | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 137 |
| BYRAM RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 14,570 |
| PATOKA RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1888 | 138 | 90 |
| FLATROCK RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 100 |
| GUNPOWDER FALLS | Maryland | Poor | 1888 | 138 | 2,589 |
| RR MBTA | Massachusetts | Poor | 1888 | 138 | 23,147 |
| RR AMTRAK/MBTA | Massachusetts | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 7,000 |
| WATER QUINSIGAMOND RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 1,700 |
| WATER MERRIMACK RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 24,050 |
| WATER CHARLES RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 31,500 |
| WATER QUABOAG RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 260 |
| NIOBRARA RIVER | Nebraska | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 10 |
| RAMAPO RIVER | New Jersey | Good | 1888 | 138 | 495 |
| BYRAM RIVER | New York | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 14,570 |
| Highbridge Park 907P X4 | New York | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 45,759 |
| METRO NO COMMUTER | New York | Fair | 1888 | 138 | — |
| METRO NO COMMUTER | New York | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 8,119 |
| METRO NO COMMUTER | New York | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 5,055 |
| S CHUCTANUNDA CREEK | New York | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 29 |
| CLOSED | Ohio | Poor | 1888 | 138 | 150 |
| S WOLF CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 114 |
| ALLEGHENY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 1,625 |
| NESHAMINY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1888 | 138 | 50 |
| EAST BR BRANDYWINE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1888 | 138 | 290 |
| TROUT CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1888 | 138 | 50 |
| POTATO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1888 | 138 | 450 |
| SWAMP CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 750 |
| SHAMOKIN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1888 | 138 | 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.