Historic Bridges in Washington

1,188 bridges built before 1951 in Washington still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 1,188 bridges in Washington 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.

Clear
Bridge State Condition Year Built Age (Years) ADT
MCALEER CREEK Washington Fair 1949 77 600
DUWAMISH RIVER Washington Poor 1949 77 3,185
SUMAS RIVER Washington Fair 1949 77 260
WILLAPA RIVER Washington Fair 1949 77 87
TWISP RIVER Washington Poor 1949 77 770
DOUGLAS CREEK DRAINAGE Washington Fair 1949 77 220
W.FORK SALMON CREEK Washington Fair 1949 77 72
DRY WASH Washington Fair 1949 77 12
UP&BN RR & MARSHALL CR Washington Poor 1949 77 2,238
FIFTEEN MILE CREEK Washington Fair 1949 77 21,368
COWLITZ RIVER Washington Fair 1949 77 1,109
DEER CREEK Washington Fair 1949 77 1,621
COAL CREEK Washington Fair 1949 77 1,324
BERTRAND CR Washington Fair 1949 77 8,369
CALIFORNIA CR Washington Fair 1949 77 365
SALMON CREEK Washington Fair 1949 77 427
SCATTER CREEK Washington Fair 1949 77 2,813
RAVINE FAIRMOUNT AVE Washington Good 1949 77 32,000
RR TRACKS ALLEY Washington Fair 1949 77 19,800
NE CAMPUS PARKWAY Washington Fair 1949 77 24,500
WHITE RIVER Washington Fair 1949 77 2,056
THORNTON CR RAVINE Washington Good 1949 77 9,189
WHATCOM CREEK Washington Fair 1949 77 2,800
THORNTON CREEK Washington Fair 1949 77 2,500
POTHOLES CANAL Washington Good 1949 77 1,601
GOBLE CREEK SOUTH FORK Washington Good 1949 77 410
WEST CANAL W39.9 Washington Fair 1950 76 20
EAST LOW CANAL Washington Fair 1950 76 1
ROCKY COULEE WASTEWAY Washington Poor 1950 76 10
East Low Canal Washington Good 1950 76 1
East Low Canal Washington Good 1950 76 1
East Low Canal Washington Good 1950 76 1
East Low Canal Washington Good 1950 76 1
POTHOLES CANAL Washington Fair 1950 76 15
ROCK CREEK Washington Fair 1950 76 1
COLUMBIA RIVER Washington Fair 1950 76 2,645
WEST CANAL Washington Good 1950 76 8,758
OKANOGAN RIVER Washington Fair 1950 76 4,504
WEST CANAL Washington Good 1950 76 8,745
STATE ROUTE 522 Washington Poor 1950 76 9,464
SPRING GULCH Washington Good 1950 76 3,369
COLUMBIA R GN RY Washington Fair 1950 76 26,350
AGATE PASSAGE Washington Fair 1950 76 21,431
WOODS CREEK Washington Fair 1950 76 21,661
CEDAR RIVER Washington Fair 1950 76 22,007
METHOW RIVER Washington Fair 1950 76 1,847
SINKING CREEK Washington Poor 1950 76 267
DRY RUN Washington Good 1950 76 267
GOOSE CR Washington Good 1950 76 389
SALMON CR Washington Fair 1950 76 5,294

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.