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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D.D. NO 83 | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| DD NO 83 | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| W CEDAR CR. | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| N FORK CAMP CR | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 26 |
| DD 1-54 | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 26 |
| DD 9-13 | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| DD 88 | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 26 |
| BIG CEDAR CR DD 181 | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| FIELD STREAM | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 29 |
| NISHNABOTNA RIVER | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| WILLOW CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 26 |
| WILLOW CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| FIELD STREAM | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 79 |
| MIDDLE RACOON RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 34 |
| FIELD STREAM | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| FIELD STREAM | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| FIELD STREAM | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 71 |
| PURGATORY CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | — |
| ELK RUN | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 34 |
| BEAMAN CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 748 |
| WATERWAY | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| WATERWAY | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 89 |
| WATERWAY | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| LONE TREE CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 29 |
| TURKEY CR | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| WATERWAY | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| WATERWAY | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 26 |
| CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 26 |
| TURKEY CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| WATERWAY | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 379 |
| SPRING CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| TROUBLESOME CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| BUCK CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| EAST NISHNABOTNA RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 123 |
| CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| BR ROCK RUN CR | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 26 |
| BEAVER DAM CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 16 |
| WILLOW CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 26 |
| ROCK FALLS CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 26 |
| MAPLE RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 26 |
| CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| ROCK CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| SMALL CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| SMALL CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| MAPLE RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| SMALL CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 429 |
| CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| EAST WAPSIPINICON | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 98 |
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.