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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NO CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 23 |
| SUGAR CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| ELK CR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| TRIB OF BARREN CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 41 |
| DRAIN DTCH | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| BR OF DRY FK | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| CREEK | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 90 |
| TOWN BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,900 |
| TOWN BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,470 |
| SUGAR CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,100 |
| TURKEY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| DRAIN DTCH | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| BR OF PICKERING CR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 289 |
| MONITEAU CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| COON CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| DRAIN DTCH NO 29 | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| BR OF STARKS CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| SALINE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 3,104 |
| BR OF SALT FK | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| STINKING CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| BOURBEUSE RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| WALKER CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 18,000 |
| MARBLE CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 200 |
| CLARK BR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| LINDLEY CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| BIG CR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 476 |
| TRIB W FK GRAND RV | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| SALT FK | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| BR OF CLEAR CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 68 |
| TRIB MERAMEC RVR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 3,000 |
| BR OF HONEY CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| SPRING CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| BR OF SPENCER CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| HONEY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 125 |
| BR OF SAC RVR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 246 |
| HONEY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| MUSSELL FK | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| GIVINS BR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| CREEK | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| TRIB DRYWOOD CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| HIGHLY CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| DRYWOOD CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| SONS CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| MILL CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| E FK NIANGUA RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| IRWIN CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| CLEMENS CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| N FK BLACKWATER RV | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 93 |
| POMME DE TERRE RVR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 200 |
| PENO CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
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.