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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST BR PATAPSCO RIVER | Maryland | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 171 |
| BROAD RUN | Maryland | Good | 1900 | 126 | 196 |
| CATOCTIN CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 124 |
| PLUMTREE RUN | Maryland | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 151 |
| DEER CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 559 |
| DEER CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 155 |
| DOG CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 874 |
| WATER FORT POND BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 9,069 |
| WATER SHAWSHEEN RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 4,691 |
| WATER SHAWSHEEN RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 6,200 |
| COMB MINUTMN BP & BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 18,500 |
| WATER CLESSON BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 3,376 |
| WATER SUDBURY RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 11,481 |
| WATER NORTH BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,422 |
| OTHER WAREHOUSE | Massachusetts | Good | 1900 | 126 | 36,206 |
| HWY WATER ST | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 36,206 |
| WATER MUDDY RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 8,300 |
| RR MBTA | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,600 |
| WATER W BR WESTFIELD RIV | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 143 |
| RR CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 780 |
| MILLER RIVER | Massachusetts | Good | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| OTHER MANHAN RAIL TRAIL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 13,488 |
| WATER GREEN RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 388 |
| WATER ACUSHNET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 32,200 |
| RR MACRR | Massachusetts | Good | 1900 | 126 | 4,138 |
| WATER N NASHUA RIVER | Massachusetts | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 2,800 |
| WATER N NASHUA RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 550 |
| WATER N NASHUA RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 9,756 |
| WATER N NASHUA RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 3,500 |
| COMB BOULDER DR & BMRR | Massachusetts | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 16,708 |
| WATER BAKER BROOK | Massachusetts | Good | 1900 | 126 | 4,267 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 9,376 |
| WATER CHARLES RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,850 |
| WATER CHARLES RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,000 |
| WATER WILLIAMS RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5,172 |
| RR MBTA | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5,948 |
| RR PWRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20,712 |
| WATER M BR WESTFIELD RIV | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,100 |
| WATER SPICKET RIVER | Massachusetts | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 12,808 |
| WATER MONOOSNOC BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20,557 |
| WATER MONOOSNOC BROOK | Massachusetts | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 9,700 |
| WATER SAWMILL RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,551 |
| WATER BAKER BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 6,270 |
| WATER WADING RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,422 |
| WATER ASSABET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 11,163 |
| WATER CHARLES RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 14,554 |
| WATER MYSTIC RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10,600 |
| RR NECRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 517 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 13,000 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 7,800 |
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.