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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N BR JORDAN CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,000 |
| N BR JORDAN CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,990 |
| NICHOLS BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 500 |
| FASSNIGHT CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 300 |
| FASSNIGHT CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 300 |
| GALLOWAY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| GALLOWAY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,370 |
| PEA RIDGE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| DRY SAC RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| JORDAN CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 250 |
| W BEAR CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| W BEAR CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| E BEAR CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| BR LIT WILSON CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 80 |
| POMME DE TERRE RVR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| LIT WILSON CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| FLETCHER CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| LIT WILSON CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| BR OF JAMES RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| TRIB TO DEEPWATER | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| CHARITON RVR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| UNNAMED STR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| CLEAR FK | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 110 |
| BR POMME DE TERRE | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| CLEAR FK | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 84 |
| BELL BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 84 |
| FLAT CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 7,027 |
| CHARITON RVR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| LIT POMME DE TERRE | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| E BEAR CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| BULL CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| GALLINIPPER CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| BR CLEAR FK | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| COPPERAS CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| UNNAMED STR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| TRIB BLACKWATER R | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| SHADY GROVE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 6,000 |
| MID LICK CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| BR OF LOG CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| CEDAR CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| TINKLE BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| BR OF MUDDY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| MUDDY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| BR OF BLUE CR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| E FK TEBO CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| BR E FORK TEBO CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| LICK CR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| TOWN BR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 300 |
| TRIB OF MINERAL CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| OLD DUCK CR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
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.