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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEARCAMP RIVER | New Hampshire | Good | 1900 | 126 | 96 |
| ANDROSCOGGIN RIVER | New Hampshire | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 281 |
| SUGAR RIVER | New Hampshire | Good | 1900 | 126 | 557 |
| COLD BROOK | New Hampshire | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 41 |
| BROAD BROOK | New Hampshire | Good | 1900 | 126 | 96 |
| SMITH RIVER | New Hampshire | Good | 1900 | 126 | 7,358 |
| WATERING RACE BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 13,019 |
| HACKENSACK RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 11,741 |
| TENAKILL BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,599 |
| HO-HO-KUS BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 8,704 |
| COLES BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5,281 |
| PASCACK BROOK | New Jersey | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 9,261 |
| DARLINGTON BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,025 |
| HOLDRUM BROOK | New Jersey | Good | 1900 | 126 | 8,613 |
| MASONS CREEK | New Jersey | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 1,264 |
| ASSISCUNK CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 275 |
| Branch Assiscunk Creek | New Jersey | Good | 1900 | 126 | 5,679 |
| N BR RANCOCAS CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10,750 |
| LITTLE CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 255 |
| Sharps Branch | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 11,485 |
| FRIENDSHIP CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 3,494 |
| INDIAN RUN | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 627 |
| NORTH RUN | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 7,062 |
| ATLANTIC CITY LINE | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 14,117 |
| CHESTNUT RUN | New Jersey | Good | 1900 | 126 | 151 |
| Elizabeth River | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 17,604 |
| SECOND RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10,686 |
| FOOTPATH | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,791 |
| PASSAIC RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 19,840 |
| CITY SUBWAY | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 17,200 |
| CONRAIL (ABND) | New Jersey | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 12,409 |
| HUDSON BERGEN LIGHT RAIL | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 14,929 |
| NISHISAKAWICK CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,059 |
| CAPOOLONG CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 4,797 |
| MULHOCKAWAY CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5,497 |
| NISHISAKAWICK CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,402 |
| LAMINGTON RIVER TRIB. | New Jersey | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 216 |
| TRIB.TO DELAWARE RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 209 |
| LOCKATONG CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 160 |
| WILLOUGHBY BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 573 |
| SPRUCE RUN | New Jersey | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 486 |
| HAKIHOKAKE CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 666 |
| DELAWARE RIVER TRIBUTARY | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 205 |
| WALNUT BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 778 |
| CHAMBERS BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 503 |
| THIRD NESHANIC RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 445 |
| WICKECHEOKE CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 222 |
| NESHANIC RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 191 |
| South Br Raritan River | New Jersey | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 159 |
| QUEQUACOMMISACONG CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 424 |
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.