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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNION DRAINAGE DITCH | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 15,700 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 250 |
| SPRING CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 6,750 |
| S.BR FORKED CR | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 175 |
| ROCK CR | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| S. BR ROCK CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| FORKED CR | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,900 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| BANSTON CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 325 |
| BNRR | Illinois | Good | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| EAST FORK COAL CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 641 |
| HAMM DITCH | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 104 |
| BOHNKE DRAIN | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 104 |
| BOHNKE DRAIN | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 104 |
| ELLISON #2 DRAIN | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 130 |
| ROBINSON-BRINDLE DRAIN | Indiana | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 156 |
| HOFFMAN FLATROCK DRAIN | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 573 |
| MUD CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 290 |
| PRAIRIE CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 120 |
| LENNOX DITCH | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 710 |
| Middle Fork WILDCAT Cr | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| RATTLESNAKE Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 359 |
| N Branch of Otter Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 179 |
| Lafferty Ditch | Indiana | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 12 |
| Conneley Ditch | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 12 |
| EEL RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 114 |
| Wabash & Erie Canal | Indiana | Good | 1900 | 126 | 119 |
| Lafferty Ditch | Indiana | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 19 |
| LITTLE BLUE RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 271 |
| FISH CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 125 |
| CAMPBELL CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 900 |
| MILL Creek | Indiana | Good | 1900 | 126 | 731 |
| DILLON CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 27 |
| WHITEWATER CANAL | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| BROWN BRANCH SALT CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 350 |
| SNAIL CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 350 |
| SOURS RUN of DRY FORK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| LOEFLER DITCH | Indiana | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| BRANCH OF SNAKE RUN | Indiana | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 480 |
| DONOHUE CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 250 |
| EAST FORK OF KEG CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 80 |
| WHITE LICK CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,575 |
| E FORK OF WHITE LICK CR | Indiana | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5,500 |
| FALL CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,600 |
| SALAMONIE RIVER | Indiana | Good | 1900 | 126 | 1,103 |
| HARBERTS CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 225 |
| HENSLEY CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 225 |
| MUTTON CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 800 |
| SOUTH FORK VERNON FORK | Indiana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,225 |
| COFFEE CREEK | Indiana | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 1,350 |
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.