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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BR OF JAMES RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 231 |
| JAMES RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| TRIB LAKE CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 150 |
| SHADY CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| BR OF JONES BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,390 |
| COLE CAMP CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| UNNAMED STR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| LIT DRY FK | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| JASPER SPRING BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| BR OF SIMS BR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 150 |
| TRIB OF BIG RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,500 |
| TURNER CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| BR OF TURNER CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 528 |
| BENNETT SPR BR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 1,000 |
| MID FABIUS RVR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| DRY FK CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| BR OF PICKERING CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 222 |
| BR OF PICKERING CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 222 |
| TRIB TO KINGS LK | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| BR OF LIT SAC RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 894 |
| ABELS BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| DRY BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 66 |
| BR OF PD CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 136 |
| MULKEY CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| TRIB OF BIG RVR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 305 |
| WALNUT CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 110 |
| LIT ELKHORN CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| CREEK | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| BR OF JAMES RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 402 |
| WALNUT CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| BR OF N DRY SAC RV | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 487 |
| W SULPHUR CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| BIG BR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| BLACKWATER RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 145 |
| BRUSH CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 71 |
| BRUSH CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| TRIB OF MIAMI CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| BR OF PICKERING CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 93 |
| SULPHUR CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| PICKERING CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 102 |
| BR OF LIT PINEY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| BR OF LIT WALNUT C | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 22 |
| BR OF JAMES RVR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| TRIB OF RED OAK CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 375 |
| TRIB OF SANDY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 341 |
| TRIB OF SANDY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 341 |
| PRICE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| BR OF OSAGE FK | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| TRIB OF MARROWBONE | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| DOXIES CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
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.