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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LINN CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,574 |
| JERRY CR BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 255 |
| CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 577 |
| BARREN FK | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 577 |
| BR BIG RVR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 311 |
| DRY WASH | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,057 |
| TOWN BR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,698 |
| BR OF GROVE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 517 |
| PRAIRIE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,758 |
| TOWN CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,248 |
| BLACKBERRY CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 567 |
| GOOSE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 436 |
| GOOSE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 436 |
| GOOSE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 436 |
| GOOSE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 436 |
| FORK PINE CR | Missouri | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 142 |
| ST REGIS RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| LYONS CREEK 032 | Montana | Good | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| STREAM | Nebraska | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| TURKEY CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| SPRING CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| HONEY CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| BIG CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| NORTH LOUP RIVER | Nebraska | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| PIT TAYLOR CANAL | Nevada | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| WALKER RVR | Nevada | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 61 |
| CLAY BROOK | New Hampshire | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 96 |
| CONNECTICUT RIVER | New Hampshire | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 6,519 |
| RED WATER BROOK | New Hampshire | Good | 1900 | 126 | 505 |
| ARTIST FALLS BROOK | New Hampshire | Good | 1900 | 126 | 13,702 |
| WILD AMMONOOSUC RIVER | New Hampshire | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 52 |
| SUCKER BROOK | New Hampshire | Good | 1900 | 126 | 258 |
| BROWN BROOK | New Hampshire | Good | 1900 | 126 | 258 |
| CSX | New Hampshire | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 782 |
| MAD RIVER | New Hampshire | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 871 |
| GUNSTOCK RIVER | New Hampshire | Good | 1900 | 126 | 886 |
| GEORGES BROOK | New Hampshire | Good | 1900 | 126 | 1,167 |
| BEARDS BROOK | New Hampshire | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 96 |
| BEARDS BROOK | New Hampshire | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 96 |
| BROOK | New Hampshire | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 721 |
| BROOK | New Hampshire | Good | 1900 | 126 | 721 |
| BEARDS BROOK | New Hampshire | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 96 |
| TAIL RACE | New Hampshire | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 3,434 |
| RECREATION TRAIL | New Hampshire | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 603 |
| COHAS BROOK | New Hampshire | Good | 1900 | 126 | 2,560 |
| BEAVER BROOK | New Hampshire | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 6,111 |
| SPICKET RIVER | New Hampshire | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20,229 |
| SPICKET RIVER | New Hampshire | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 4,883 |
| SALMON BROOK | New Hampshire | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 96 |
| SALMON BROOK | New Hampshire | Good | 1900 | 126 | 96 |
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.