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 | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 10,590 |
| SO. BRANCH RARITAN RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 1,384 |
| LOCKATONG CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 743 |
| METRO NO COMMUTER | New York | Good | 1898 | 128 | 2,263 |
| LONG ISLAND-PT WS | New York | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 1,088 |
| MNRR NH LINE | New York | Good | 1898 | 128 | — |
| ONESQUETHAW CREEK | New York | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 67 |
| GENESEE RIVER | New York | Good | 1898 | 128 | 18,748 |
| MNRR NH LINE | New York | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 1,000 |
| MILL CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 6,042 |
| LITTLE JUNIATA RIVER | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 27 |
| LITTLE JUNIATA RIVER | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 3,406 |
| SOUTH CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 50 |
| YELLOW BREECHES CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 145 |
| CHESTER CREEK / 3694-J10 | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 9,019 |
| LITTLE SANDY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 100 |
| CONESTOGA RIVER | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 50 |
| BLOCKHOUSE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 100 |
| PERKIOMEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 464 |
| Abolished Conrail | Pennsylvania | Good | 1898 | 128 | 7,800 |
| Abolished Conrail | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 2,100 |
| Abandoned Conrail | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 3,300 |
| Abolished Conrail | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 3,500 |
| Abandoned Conrail | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 4,500 |
| BOYDS CREEK | Tennessee | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 9,584 |
| HOLMES CREEK | Vermont | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 550 |
| CEDAR CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 10 |
| MIDDLE FORK HUGHES RIVER | West Virginia | Poor | 1898 | 128 | 40 |
| MCKOWN CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 70 |
| WV Fork Fish Creek | West Virginia | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 250 |
| PINE CREEK | Wisconsin | Fair | 1898 | 128 | 31 |
| AMTRAK RAILROAD | Connecticut | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 5,300 |
| PADANARAM BROOK | Connecticut | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 10,334 |
| SILVERMINE RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 1,415 |
| MILL CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 500 |
| CURTIS CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1899 | 127 | 2,900 |
| KING CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1899 | 127 | 10 |
| BR E FORK PLUM RIVER | Illinois | Poor | 1899 | 127 | 50 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 10 |
| TOWN CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1899 | 127 | 50 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 275 |
| LITTLE FLATROCK RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 180 |
| MUDDY FORK OF SAND CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 210 |
| SQUARE RUN | Indiana | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 280 |
| MUDDY FORK OF SAND CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 210 |
| GAS CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 180 |
| RICHLAND CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1899 | 127 | 158 |
| LITTLE RICHLAND CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 660 |
| BUCK CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 10 |
| WEST FORK HONEY CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1899 | 127 | 193 |
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.