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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baldwin Slough | Alabama | Fair | 1900 | 126 | — |
| Fish Creek | Arizona | Good | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| Wash | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 6,735 |
| Middle March Creek | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| Stockton Drain | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 700 |
| San Jose Canal | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 19 |
| Ash Creek | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| Union Canal | Arizona | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 203 |
| Union Canal | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 3,700 |
| Stockton Drain | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 200 |
| Rocky John Canyon | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 42 |
| Silver Creek | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 400 |
| Nogales Wash | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,000 |
| Green Gulch | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 330 |
| Small Wash | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 6,995 |
| Small Wash | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 6,129 |
| Casa Grande Canal Ext | Arizona | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 450 |
| Sand Tanks Wash | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 132 |
| Concho Creek | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 260 |
| Rio De Flag | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,357 |
| Rio De Flag | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 310 |
| Rio De Flag | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 310 |
| Rio De Flag | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,000 |
| Chase Creek | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 411 |
| Desert Wash | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,200 |
| Small Wash | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 971 |
| Middleton Creek | Arizona | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 148 |
| Storm Drain | Arizona | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 300 |
| MIDDLE CREEK | California | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 135 |
| LOS MOLINOS CREEK | California | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 6,800 |
| STONY CREEK | California | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| MUD CREEK | California | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 744 |
| N FK AMERICAN RIVER | California | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 125 |
| HEADER DRAW | California | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,650 |
| SONOMA CREEK | California | Good | 1900 | 126 | 550 |
| CALABAZAS CREEK | California | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 500 |
| LAKE CHABOT CREEK | California | Good | 1900 | 126 | 33,600 |
| REDWOOD RD FLD CNTRL CH | California | Good | 1900 | 126 | 29,900 |
| PILARCITOS CREEK | California | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 2,350 |
| BEAR CREEK | California | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 500 |
| SAN MATEO CREEK | California | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,000 |
| SAN MATEO CREEK | California | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,000 |
| LOS GATOS CREEK | California | Good | 1900 | 126 | 43,000 |
| T.I.D. CERES MAIN CANAL | California | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,500 |
| CENTRAL CANAL | California | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 15,202 |
| SAN YSIDRO DITCH | California | Good | 1900 | 126 | 52,000 |
| TRAMWAY | California | Good | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| METRO NORTH RAILROAD | Connecticut | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 7,100 |
| METRO NORTH RAILROAD | Connecticut | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 9,300 |
| FARM RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5,500 |
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.