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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROWLEY CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 733 |
| HURON RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 750 |
| CLAM RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 560 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 6,908 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 620 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 330 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 270 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 810 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 300 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 300 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 70 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 125 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 97 |
| STREAM | Minnesota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 42 |
| DITCH | Minnesota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| Como-Harriet Streetcar | Minnesota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 3,550 |
| KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN RR | Mississippi | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 8,250 |
| CLEAR CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 3,662 |
| BR OF GOODWIN CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 4,115 |
| OWENS CR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 500 |
| HODGE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 334 |
| BR OF PLATTE RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 188 |
| BEAR CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| BRANCH OF SPRING C | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| LONG BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| BLACKWATER RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 110 |
| LABARQUE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 963 |
| BR CAHOOCHIE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| N FK OF BLACKWATER | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| BRUSH CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| TRIB OF SALINE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| STREAM | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| SAC RVR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| PANTHER CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| SUGAR CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| BR OF ASHER CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 57 |
| BR DRY AUGLAIZE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| RULE CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| BR OF BRUSH CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| LIT POMME DE TERRE | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| BR OF ASHER CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 91 |
| TRIB OF EAST BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| TRIB OF MONITEAU C | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| SMALL CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| BR S FK BLACKWATER | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 61 |
| STANLEY LK | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| BR OF GASCONADE RV | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| LIT PENO CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| BR OF SAC RVR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 185 |
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.