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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RR MBTA | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5,560 |
| WATER CHARLES RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 51,270 |
| RR CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 3,600 |
| RR PWRR | Massachusetts | Good | 1900 | 126 | 14,986 |
| RR HRR | Massachusetts | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 21,457 |
| RR CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 29,800 |
| WATER HOUSATONIC RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 23,286 |
| WATER CATACUNEMAUG BROOK | Massachusetts | Good | 1900 | 126 | 8,180 |
| RR CSX | Massachusetts | Good | 1900 | 126 | 4,503 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Good | 1900 | 126 | 900 |
| WATER SANDERSDALE CANAL | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 13,189 |
| WATER ELIZABETH BROOK | Massachusetts | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| WATER HOP BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 9,379 |
| WATER MUMFORD RIVER | Massachusetts | Good | 1900 | 126 | 12,888 |
| WATER BLACKSTONE RIVER | Massachusetts | Good | 1900 | 126 | 7,627 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 22,500 |
| WATER WEWEANTIC RIVER | Massachusetts | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 9,300 |
| WATER FLAT BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,948 |
| RR MBTA/CSX | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 11,236 |
| WATER WHITMAN RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 400 |
| RR PWRR/BMRR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 7,280 |
| HIGH BANK CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 197 |
| HIGHBANK CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 133 |
| BETSIE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 95 |
| BETSIE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 32 |
| TEKONSHA CREEK&POWERS | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| COLDWATER RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 111 |
| STURGEON RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 3 |
| STURGEON RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| AU SABLE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 560 |
| RIVER STYX DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 111 |
| BOVEE DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 56 |
| TRAPROCK RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 80 |
| WEST CEDAR DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 250 |
| CHICAGON CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 142 |
| BETSIE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| BASS LAKE OUTLET | Michigan | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,000 |
| SWAN CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,200 |
| S BR PERE MARQUETTE RIVR | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| CARR CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 300 |
| BIG SABLE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 200 |
| N BR CHIPPEWA RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 67 |
| TITTABAWASSEE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 4,550 |
| OTTAWA LAKE DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 480 |
| NORRIS CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,310 |
| SADONY BAYOU | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 440 |
| RUDDIMAN CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1900 | 126 | 12,520 |
| C O RAILROAD | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 1,972 |
| SYLVAN LAKE | Michigan | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 180 |
| MONTELLO PARK DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 1,920 |
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.