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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FALL CREEK | Indiana | Good | 1899 | 127 | 32,712 |
| Black River | Indiana | Poor | 1899 | 127 | 139 |
| HUFFMAN DITCH | Indiana | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 1,020 |
| BRANCH SANDY CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 170 |
| NO NAME CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 40 |
| BUSSERON CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1899 | 127 | 110 |
| WABASH RIVER | Indiana | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 220 |
| Fall CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 60 |
| LITTLE OTTER CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1899 | 127 | 2 |
| DES MOINES RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1899 | 127 | 50 |
| WATER FORT POINT CHANNEL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 28,319 |
| COMB MBTA & ACCESS RD | Massachusetts | Good | 1899 | 127 | 13,700 |
| RR MBTA/BMRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 22,200 |
| COMB BMRR & NASHUA RIV | Massachusetts | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 7,187 |
| RR BMRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 3,462 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 19,237 |
| COMB MBTA/BMRR & ORANGE | Massachusetts | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 5,904 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Good | 1899 | 127 | 5,286 |
| RR MBTA/BMRR | Massachusetts | Good | 1899 | 127 | 51,500 |
| RR MBTA/BMRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 14,000 |
| BIG MEADOW DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 9,000 |
| RICE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 1,853 |
| S BR ROOT RIVER | Minnesota | Poor | 1899 | 127 | 170 |
| N FK CROW RIVER | Minnesota | Poor | 1899 | 127 | 24 |
| NIOBRARA RIVER | Nebraska | Poor | 1899 | 127 | 2 |
| HO-HO-KUS BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 10,838 |
| N BR ROCKWAY CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 1,041 |
| WICKECHEOKE CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 126 |
| BROOKVIEW STA RD AMTRAK | New York | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 2,382 |
| N BR W STONY CRK | New York | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 5 |
| SALMON CREEK | New York | Good | 1899 | 127 | 84 |
| CANANDAIGUA OUTLT | New York | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 3,007 |
| MTN.VIEW LK.OUTLT | New York | Good | 1899 | 127 | 221 |
| KINDERHOOK CREEK | New York | Poor | 1899 | 127 | 804 |
| N.FORK JOHN DAY RIVER | Oregon | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 132 |
| PAINTERS RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1899 | 127 | 5 |
| DRY RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 150 |
| KETTLE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 125 |
| WASHINGTON RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 1,086 |
| PURSLEY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 40 |
| TOOKANY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 6,890 |
| Shermans Creek | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 212 |
| YELLOW BREECHES CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1899 | 127 | 3,188 |
| Abandoned Conrail | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 5,800 |
| STONY BROOK | Vermont | Fair | 1899 | 127 | 400 |
| NNS&DD (PRIVATE) R/R | Virginia | Good | 1899 | 127 | 5,865 |
| LOST CREEK | Alabama | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 150 |
| Driver Creek | Alabama | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| SOUTHERNLNRAILROAD | Alabama | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 495 |
| RODGERS BRANCH | Alabama | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 250 |
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.