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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STREAM | Iowa | Fair | 1900 | 126 | — |
| TRIB TO ROCK CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 70 |
| STREAM | Kansas | Good | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| OAK CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 135 |
| REPUBLICAN TRIBUTARY | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 135 |
| TRIB. TO FALL RIVER | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 122 |
| MUD CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 367 |
| LITTLE SLOUGH | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 4,989 |
| TRIB. TO FALL CREEK | Kansas | Good | 1900 | 126 | 56 |
| BRADSHAW CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| WEST FORK DRY WOOD CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| POLE CAT CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| FOUR MILE CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| GILLION CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| DRY CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| DRY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| WALNUT RIVER | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| MUDDY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| TURKEY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| ROCK CREEK OVERFLOW | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| SATCHEL CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| HICKORY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| SILVER CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| ELM CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| ELK CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| BIG BADGER CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| CRABB CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| INDEPENDENCE CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 2 |
| WOLF CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| HONEY CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| SALT CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| WILSON CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| Fish Pond Creek | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| TRIB. TO WHITE ROCK CK. | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| BUFFALO CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| PUMPKIN CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| UNNAMED STREAM | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| MUD CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| COTTONWOOD RIVER | Kansas | Good | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| BRUNO CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| SPRING CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| WOLF CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| ROBIDOUX CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| TRIB. TO ROBIDOUX CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| TRIB. TO IRISH CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| TRIB. TO BIG BULL CREEK | Kansas | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 63 |
| UNNAMED STREAM | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| BIG JOHN CREEK | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| NEOSHO RIVER | Kansas | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
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.