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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PASSAIC RIVER | New Jersey | Good | 1897 | 129 | 23,506 |
| BLACK CREEK | New York | Poor | 1897 | 129 | 1,504 |
| COHOCTON RIVER | New York | Fair | 1897 | 129 | 382 |
| CATATONK CREEK | New York | Poor | 1897 | 129 | 81 |
| Parking Lot CSX TRANS/P | New York | Good | 1897 | 129 | 11,162 |
| METRO NORTH RR | New York | Fair | 1897 | 129 | 5,145 |
| BRONX RIVER | New York | Fair | 1897 | 129 | 18,602 |
| W125 ST 12TH AVENUE St | New York | Fair | 1897 | 129 | 12,338 |
| WEST KILL | New York | Poor | 1897 | 129 | 20 |
| POTTER HOLLOW CREEK | New York | Poor | 1897 | 129 | 1 |
| NIAGARA RIVER VIA/AMTRA | New York | Fair | 1897 | 129 | 1,240 |
| MLK BOULEVARD | Ohio | Fair | 1897 | 129 | 8,581 |
| Mill Creek | Ohio | Good | 1897 | 129 | 2,000 |
| GLADES RD (ROCKY FORK CK | Ohio | Fair | 1897 | 129 | 383 |
| OVER CONNEAUT OUTLET | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1897 | 129 | 250 |
| Chestnut Run | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1897 | 129 | 28 |
| SCHWABEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1897 | 129 | 40 |
| SCHWABEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1897 | 129 | 25 |
| LOYALSOCK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1897 | 129 | 15 |
| OVER PITHOLE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1897 | 129 | 93 |
| PITHOLE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1897 | 129 | 50 |
| EQUINUNK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1897 | 129 | 68 |
| SKL RIV KELLY W RIV STDR | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1897 | 129 | 12,580 |
| POCASSET RIVER | Rhode Island | Poor | 1897 | 129 | 11 |
| PLEASURE LAKE | Rhode Island | Poor | 1897 | 129 | 2,764 |
| CUNLIFFS LAKE | Rhode Island | Poor | 1897 | 129 | 2,551 |
| TENNESSEE RIVER & 2 RTS. | Tennessee | Poor | 1897 | 129 | 6,215 |
| CSX RAILROAD | West Virginia | Poor | 1897 | 129 | 10 |
| YAHARA RIVER | Wisconsin | Fair | 1897 | 129 | 450 |
| BLACKWATER CREEK | Alabama | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 400 |
| GRINDSTONE CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 75 |
| LAKE FORK | Illinois | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 10 |
| CEDAR CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 75 |
| MAUMEE RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 19,025 |
| DEER Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 102 |
| BIG WALNUT CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 110 |
| SWINGING CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 40 |
| BIG CREEK TRIBUTARY | Indiana | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 2 |
| EAST BRANCH HUMBOLDT CK. | Kansas | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 10 |
| GUNPOWDER FALLS | Maryland | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 275 |
| RR AMTRAK/MBTA | Massachusetts | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 4,300 |
| WATER MOTHER BROOK | Massachusetts | Good | 1898 | 128 | 6,466 |
| WATER MUDDY RIVER | Massachusetts | Good | 1898 | 128 | 10,862 |
| WATER BLACKSTONE CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 4,452 |
| WATER LAUNDRY BROOK | Massachusetts | Good | 1898 | 128 | 388 |
| WATER FOREST RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 27,100 |
| RR MBTA/BMRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 2,100 |
| SOUTH BRANCH BAD RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 143 |
| SPRING RVR | Missouri | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 50 |
| JEFFERSON RIVER 046 | Montana | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 87 |
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.