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
WB OSWEGATCHIE RV New York Poor 1900 126 40
INDEPENDENCE RIVER New York Poor 1900 126 2
MAMARONECK RIVER New York Poor 1900 126 3,122
BUTTERNUT CREEK New York Good 1900 126 7
RED CREEK New York Fair 1900 126 238
BUTTERNUT CREEK New York Fair 1900 126 43
BUTTERNUT CREEK New York Fair 1900 126 58
BUTTERNUT CREEK New York Poor 1900 126 89
OAKS CREEK New York Poor 1900 126 105
OCQUIANIS CREEK New York Fair 1900 126 199
WEST CREEK New York Poor 1900 126 43
TRANSVERSE RD 1 New York Fair 1900 126 397
TRANSV RD NO 3N New York Poor 1900 126 266
PED WALK NEAR 5AV New York Fair 1900 126 14,993
THE LOCH New York Fair 1900 126 502
M.CORBIN DRIVE New York Good 1900 126 1,358
SAW MILL RIVER New York Poor 1900 126 4,465
SAW MILL RIVER New York Fair 1900 126 7,315
SAW MILL RIVER New York Poor 1900 126 8,649
N CHUCTANUNDA CK New York Fair 1900 126 5,402
BEAVER RELIEF SEWER New York Fair 1900 126
CAROGA CREEK New York Fair 1900 126 161
SCAJAQUADA CREEK New York Fair 1900 126 2,980
DRY STREAM BED New York Fair 1900 126 265
MNRR NH LINE New York Good 1900 126 5,599
MOYER CREEK New York Poor 1900 126 4,343
SKANEATELES CREEK New York Fair 1900 126 984
CSX TRANSPORTATION New York Fair 1900 126 526
N CHUCTANUNDA CK New York Poor 1900 126 1,394
DOVE CREEK New York Fair 1900 126 3,218
Walkway Tunnel New York Fair 1900 126 785
WELLS BROOK New York Poor 1900 126 210
MILL RIVER New York Poor 1900 126 114
LANDSMAN KILL New York Poor 1900 126 2,508
SALMON CREEK New York Poor 1900 126 62
MINERVA STREAM New York Fair 1900 126 3
E BR AUSABLE RIVER New York Fair 1900 126 43
SCHOHARIE CREEK New York Good 1900 126 244
CAROGA CREEK New York Fair 1900 126 93
EVAS KILL New York Fair 1900 126 269
EVAS KILL New York Poor 1900 126 157
EVAS KILL New York Fair 1900 126 157
EVAS KILL New York Poor 1900 126 157
OWASCO LAKE OUTLET New York Fair 1900 126 2,445
SCRIBA CREEK New York Poor 1900 126 665
KESHEQUA CREEK New York Good 1900 126 77
W BR SANDY CREEK New York Poor 1900 126 28
North Branch of the Grea New York Fair 1900 126 181
N BR SARANAC RVR New York Poor 1900 126 6
BEAR CREEK New York Fair 1900 126 676

Historic Bridges by State

States ranked by number of bridges built before 1951 still in service.

StateHistoric BridgesOldest YearAvg 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.