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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOES CRK. | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| SUGAR CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| OTTER CRK. | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| GOOSE CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| HORSE CRK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 150 |
| MACOUPIN CRK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| KENT CRK. | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 150 |
| SUGAR CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| SHAW PT BR | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| LICK CRK. | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| MACOUPIN CRK. | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| HONEY CRK. | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| CAHOKIA CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| CAHOKIA CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| OTTER CRK. | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 125 |
| E FK WOOD R | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| SHERRY CRK. | Illinois | Good | 1900 | 126 | 175 |
| SHAWS PT BR | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| MACOUPIN CR | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| GIRDER CR | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 200 |
| SUGAR CR | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| ANDERSON BRANCH | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| BEAR CR. | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| Conner Branch | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| ROGERS DITCH | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| STREAM E OF US 45 | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 550 |
| PATERSON BRANCH | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| NEW COLUMBIA DITCH | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| MASSAC CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| STREAM N OF OHIO RIV | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| TRIB TO Q DITCH | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| TRIB TO SEVENMILE CR | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| STREAM W OF POPE CO | Illinois | Good | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| ICG RR | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| CABINESS CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| GROVE CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| TAR CK | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| GROVE CR | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| CLARY CR | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| CAMP CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 400 |
| CAMP CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| DEERLICK BR. | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| LITTLE CAMP CR | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| E FORK SHOAL CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,450 |
| MDL FK SHOP CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
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.