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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PEQUEA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1893 | 133 | 2,000 |
| EAST BR. PERKIOMEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1893 | 133 | 175 |
| MAHANOY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1893 | 133 | 3,447 |
| LITTLE SCHUYLKILL RIVER | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1893 | 133 | 3,000 |
| CONNECTICUT RIVER | Vermont | Fair | 1893 | 133 | 220 |
| OTTER CREEK | Vermont | Fair | 1893 | 133 | 8,200 |
| N FORK SHENANDOAH RIVER | Virginia | Fair | 1893 | 133 | 552 |
| BIG SANDY CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1893 | 133 | 10 |
| NAPA RIVER | California | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 2,790 |
| EAST FORK EIGHT MILE CRK | Colorado | Poor | 1894 | 132 | 25 |
| HORSENECK BROOK | Connecticut | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 12,240 |
| FARM CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1894 | 132 | 150 |
| JOHNSON FORK WHITEWATER | Indiana | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 203 |
| EAST FORK OF WHITE RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1894 | 132 | 107 |
| LOST RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 125 |
| KENTUCKY RIVER | Kentucky | Poor | 1894 | 132 | 3,392 |
| LITTLE GUNPOWDER FALLS | Maryland | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 552 |
| HWY CEMETERY RD | Massachusetts | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 16,034 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 4,655 |
| WATER INDIAN HEAD RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 8,017 |
| WATER THIRD LEVEL CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 24,568 |
| WATER IPSWICH RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 1,800 |
| WATER MILL RIVER | Massachusetts | Poor | 1894 | 132 | 2,400 |
| JEFFERSON RIVER 063 | Montana | Poor | 1894 | 132 | 100 |
| PISCATAQUOG RIVER | New Hampshire | Good | 1894 | 132 | 12,740 |
| BUTTERNUT CREEK | New York | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 43 |
| LIRR BAY-RIDGE | New York | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 2,822 |
| MNRR NH LINE | New York | Poor | 1894 | 132 | 5,838 |
| OSWEGATCHIE RIVER | New York | Good | 1894 | 132 | 23 |
| MNRR NH LINE | New York | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 3,541 |
| MILL CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 6,729 |
| WILLS CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1894 | 132 | — |
| PRICES CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 324 |
| FOUR MILE CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 52 |
| BULL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1894 | 132 | 155 |
| BULL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 261 |
| NORTH BR.TOWANDA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 75 |
| PICKERING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1894 | 132 | 60 |
| WYNCOOP RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 204 |
| BUSHKILL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 12,031 |
| CASSELMAN RIVER | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1894 | 132 | 100 |
| TIOGA RIVER | Pennsylvania | Good | 1894 | 132 | 55 |
| SEPTA (CHESTNUT HILL) | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 4,709 |
| SEPTA | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1894 | 132 | 5,000 |
| Shurs Lane | Pennsylvania | Good | 1894 | 132 | 2,500 |
| MOSHASSUCK RIVER | Rhode Island | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 690 |
| WEST RIVER | Rhode Island | Good | 1894 | 132 | 7,777 |
| SEELEY CREEK | Wisconsin | Fair | 1894 | 132 | 27 |
| SOUTH YUBA RIVER | California | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 71 |
| IRWIN CREEK | California | Good | 1895 | 131 | 129,000 |
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.