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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABANDONED RR | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| SPILLING CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 150 |
| UNNAMED STREAM | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| Sheldon Ditch #1 | Illinois | Good | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| Sheldon Ditch #1 | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| TRIB OF SPRING CR | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 125 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1900 | 126 | 200 |
| INDIAN CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| DITCH | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 6,500 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 21,000 |
| UNION PACIFIC RR | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| BIG ROCK CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| VIRGIL DD NO 1 | Illinois | Good | 1900 | 126 | 1,450 |
| CEDAR CR DR DIT | Illinois | Good | 1900 | 126 | 4,450 |
| FOREMAN CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| TRIB TO WALNUT CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| TRIB TO CALDWELL CRE | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| CALDWELL CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| LITTLERS CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| FOREMAN CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| WALNUT CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| TRIB TO SPOON RIVER | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| INDIAN CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| TRIB.S.HENDERSON CRK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 350 |
| POPE CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| TRIB TO SPOON RIVER | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| WALNUT CR | Illinois | Good | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| PIG CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| Squaw Creek | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 1,600 |
| VERMILION RIVER | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 3,250 |
| TRIB N FORK VERMILLI | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| LOCAL DRAINAGE | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,200 |
| KICKAPOO CK OVERFLOW | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| KICKAPOO CREEK TRIB | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| LOCAL DRAINAGE | Illinois | Good | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| LAKE FORK CK TRIB. | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| LOCAL DRAINAGE | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| LOCAL DRAINAGE | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| LAHARPE CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| KEPPLE CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| TROUBLESOME CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| CEDAR CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| E.F. LAMOINE RIVER | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 125 |
| CAMP CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| CARTER CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| SUGAR CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| RUSH CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| JOES CRK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| SOLOMON CRK. | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
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.