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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HARBOR BROOK | Connecticut | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 2,870 |
| FARMINGTON RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 235 |
| METRO-NORTH RAILROAD | Connecticut | Good | 1895 | 131 | 7,900 |
| S BRANCH BROUILLETTS | Illinois | Poor | 1895 | 131 | 75 |
| LITTLE WABASH RIVER | Illinois | Good | 1895 | 131 | 225 |
| OPPOSSUM CK. | Illinois | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 75 |
| E BR PANTHER CR | Illinois | Good | 1895 | 131 | 25 |
| ST MARYS RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 150 |
| SOUTH HOGAN CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 230 |
| SALT CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 250 |
| COBBS FORK SAND CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1895 | 131 | 110 |
| VERNON FK MUSCATATUCK R | Indiana | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 570 |
| BIG BAYOU | Indiana | Poor | 1895 | 131 | — |
| FLATROCK CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1895 | 131 | 100 |
| BRUSH CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 250 |
| BIG GRAHAM CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 150 |
| BUSSERON CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1895 | 131 | — |
| EAST FORK OF WHITE RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1895 | 131 | 45 |
| BRANCH OF LAKE DITCH | Indiana | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 100 |
| WILLIAMS Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 228 |
| LITTLE BLUE RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1895 | 131 | — |
| BIG CREEK TRIBUTARY | Indiana | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 2 |
| MIDDLE BR WAPSINONOC CR | Iowa | Poor | 1895 | 131 | 20 |
| SMALL STREAM | Iowa | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 45 |
| E FORK OF DES MOINES | Iowa | Poor | 1895 | 131 | 5 |
| N CLANTON CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1895 | 131 | 5 |
| JIM CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1895 | 131 | 20 |
| WOLF CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1895 | 131 | 11 |
| JONES FALLS FALLS RD RR | Maryland | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 20,361 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 6,724 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 11,120 |
| WATER QUEQUECHAN RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 26,767 |
| WATER STONEY BROOK | Massachusetts | Good | 1895 | 131 | 11,137 |
| WATER JONES RIVER | Massachusetts | Good | 1895 | 131 | 33,491 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 1,300 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Good | 1895 | 131 | 23,000 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 10,090 |
| WATER SUDBURY RESERVOIR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 11,137 |
| RR CSX/MBTA | Massachusetts | Good | 1895 | 131 | 8,800 |
| FISH CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 30 |
| South Fork Zumbro River | Minnesota | Poor | 1895 | 131 | 75 |
| RARITAN RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 23,717 |
| RARITAN RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 30,902 |
| MAMARONECK RIVER | New York | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 15,757 |
| 87I 87IX1M11022 RTE I87 | New York | Good | 1895 | 131 | 31,013 |
| LONG ISLAND-MK BR | New York | Poor | 1895 | 131 | 1,327 |
| WEST CANADA CREEK | New York | Poor | 1895 | 131 | 239 |
| BLACK RIVER | New York | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 10 |
| TWIN LAKES STREAM | New York | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 10 |
| BEAVER KILL | New York | Fair | 1895 | 131 | 103 |
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.