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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FARMERS DITCH | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| ROCK CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 199 |
| WRIGHT CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| STREAM | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 29 |
| CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 46 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH 111 | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 47 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH 121 | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| BROKEN KETTLE CK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| STREAM-D.D.196 | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 748 |
| TURKEY RIVER | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 33 |
| BR OF CARRUTHERS CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| DR TO ENGLISH CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 21 |
| NO BUSINESS CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 170 |
| STREAM (SDB) | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| STREAM (SDB) | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| DRAINAGE (SDB) | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| DRAINAGE (SDB) | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| DRAINAGE (SDB) | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| SMALL STREAM | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| SOUTH WEST CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| SMALL STREAM | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| STREAM | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| SMALL STREAM | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| PAINT CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| OVERFLOW IOWA RIVER | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 320 |
| SMALL | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,992 |
| STREAM | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH 125 | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| LAKE MIAMI | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| PITCHER 153 | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| STREAM | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| SMALL CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 104 |
| STREAM | Iowa | Good | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| GOAT CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 501 |
| BEEDS CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| SINK CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 373 |
| SMALL STREAM | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 346 |
| SMALL STREAM | Iowa | Good | 1900 | 126 | 1,168 |
| LATERAL #77 DD #23 | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,112 |
| PAINT CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 120 |
| BACON CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 1,664 |
| BACON CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 188 |
| PERRY CREEK | Iowa | Good | 1900 | 126 | 5,086 |
| MINNOW CREEK | Iowa | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 349 |
| BLACKHAWK CR | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 899 |
| STREAM | Iowa | Good | 1900 | 126 | 3,610 |
| STREAM | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | — |
| BUFFALO CREEK | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | — |
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.