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 HARDING CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| MINERAL CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 70 |
| DRY HOLLOW | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 250 |
| BEAR CR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| E FK POST OAK CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| E FK POST OAK CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| UNNAMED STR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| HOGAN FK | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| E FK POST OAK CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 167 |
| BR W FK POST OAK C | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| NORRIS CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 110 |
| NORRIS CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 110 |
| NORRIS CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 110 |
| WHITE OAK CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| JOSLIN BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| WALNUT CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| COON CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| BR OF BIG CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 63 |
| BR OF W POST OAK C | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 46 |
| UNKNOWN BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 55 |
| S FK BLACKWATER RV | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| DRY VALLEY BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| TRIB SPRING RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 200 |
| WALNUT HOLLOW BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| DRY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,169 |
| BLACKJACK CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| BR OF GRAND RVR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 2 |
| BR BLACKWATER RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| TRIB OF JOACHIM CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 200 |
| BR POMME DE TERRE | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| BR. OF FINLEY CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| MARTIGNEY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 40,970 |
| ROAD SIDE DTCH | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 4 |
| WILSON CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| SAC RIVER | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 111 |
| CR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 12,769 |
| UP RR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 218 |
| JOHNSON CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 9,903 |
| W HIGH SCHOOL BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 8,224 |
| BR OF BRAUHN CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5,707 |
| WPA DTCH | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 529 |
| DRY BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 440 |
| FK MOORES BR | Missouri | Good | 1900 | 126 | 179 |
| W FK SPRING RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 322 |
| BR OF OZARK CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 708 |
| KINSER BRANCH | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 1,795 |
| MCKENZIE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 240 |
| BR OF COON CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 262 |
| BR INDIAN CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 199 |
| TAVERN CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 382 |
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.