Historic Bridges
94,381 bridges built before 1951 across the United States still in service today.
Bridges Built Before 1951
The United States has 94,381 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMB I 90&CAMBRIA&CSX | Massachusetts | Poor | 1850 | 176 | 17,844 |
| RR BCRR SPUR ABAN | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 23,405 |
| WATER TAUNTON RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 571 |
| WATER SALISBURY BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 20,043 |
| WATER SALISBURY BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 2,357 |
| TR GREEN LINE D | Massachusetts | Good | 1850 | 176 | 14,900 |
| WATER E BR NEPONSET RIV | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 28,200 |
| WATER STONY BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 2,208 |
| WATER STONY BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 3,750 |
| WATER BOUND BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 388 |
| WATER WESTPORT RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 10,390 |
| WATER WESTPORT RIV SPL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 10,390 |
| WATER SEGREGANSET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 2,071 |
| WATER MUMFORD RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 300 |
| WATER CHARLES RIVER INLT | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 520 |
| WATER BEAVER BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 26,900 |
| WATER SATUCKET RIVER | Massachusetts | Poor | 1850 | 176 | 2,143 |
| WATER SUCKER BROOK | Massachusetts | Poor | 1850 | 176 | 390 |
| WATER MINE BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 5,200 |
| WATER HODGKINS COVE | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 12,900 |
| RR MBTA | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 6,600 |
| WATER QUINSIGAMOND RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 15,384 |
| RR GWRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 7,900 |
| WATER POOR MEADOW BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 17,456 |
| RR BMRR (ABANDONED) | Massachusetts | Poor | 1850 | 176 | 27,200 |
| WATER SECOND LEVEL CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 3,879 |
| WATER SECOND LEVEL CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 16,422 |
| WATER FIRST LEVEL CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 11,250 |
| WATER THIRD LEVEL CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 905 |
| WATER THIRD LVL CNL SPWY | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 6,466 |
| RR MBTA | Massachusetts | Good | 1850 | 176 | 1,500 |
| WATER SPICKET RIVER | Massachusetts | Poor | 1850 | 176 | 5,255 |
| RR BMRR PAN AM | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 14,200 |
| WATER NORTHERN CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 8,800 |
| WATER WESTERN CANAL | Massachusetts | Good | 1850 | 176 | 700 |
| WATER CONCORD RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 13,300 |
| WATER PINES RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 5,360 |
| WATER MILL CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 11,163 |
| RR BMRR (ABANDONED) | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 28,190 |
| WATER SPICKET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 13,010 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 17,000 |
| RR MBTA/MACRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 17,000 |
| RR MBTA | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 3,100 |
| WATER CHICOPEE BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 4,784 |
| RR NECRR | Massachusetts | Poor | 1850 | 176 | 776 |
| RR MBTA | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 6,700 |
| TR GREEN LINE D | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 50,300 |
| WATER ABBOTT RUN RIVER | Massachusetts | Poor | 1850 | 176 | 7,370 |
| WATER TEN MILE RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 24,560 |
| WATER MILL RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1850 | 176 | 14,741 |
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 |
| Virgin Islands | 5 | 1904 | 112 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.