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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SANGERFIELD RIVER | New York | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 82 |
| W BR DELAWARE RVR | New York | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 670 |
| E B CALLICOON CREEK | New York | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| TEN MILE RIVER | New York | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5 |
| ONEIDA RIVER | New York | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,168 |
| LIRR -Port Wash. Br. | New York | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 13,937 |
| SENECA RIVER | New York | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 250 |
| CONNETQUOT BROOK | New York | Poor | 1900 | 126 | — |
| MNRR NH LINE | New York | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 4,041 |
| MNRR NH LINE | New York | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5,342 |
| UT TO PIGEON RIVER | North Carolina | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,000 |
| TEPEE CREEK | North Dakota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| CREEK | North Dakota | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| OHIO BRUSH CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 212 |
| SOUTHFORKSCIOTOBRUSHCREE | Ohio | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 385 |
| JEROME FORK OVERFLOW | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,362 |
| HOSKINS CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 2,812 |
| INDIAN CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 1,838 |
| MILL CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 291 |
| WHEELER CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 923 |
| UNNAMED STREAM | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 429 |
| UNNAMED STREAM | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 281 |
| W. BRANCH ASHTABULA RIVE | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 155 |
| PHELPS CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 485 |
| PYMATUNING CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 209 |
| CONNEAUT CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 58 |
| GRIGGS CREEK TRIBUTARY | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 225 |
| MILL CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 155 |
| CROOKED CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 204 |
| GRAND RIVER | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 1,297 |
| CONNEAUT CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1900 | 126 | — |
| ASHTABULA RIVER TRIB. | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 209 |
| ASHTABULA CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 209 |
| ASHTABULA RIVER | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| LEBANON CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 209 |
| ROCK CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 38 |
| ASHTABULA RIVER W BRANCH | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 209 |
| ASHTABULA RIVER E BRANCH | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 209 |
| ASHTABULA RIVER | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 433 |
| MILL CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 79 |
| ASHTABULA RIVER | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 115 |
| PYMATUNING CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 324 |
| ROCK CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 172 |
| CONNEAUT CREEK TRIBUTARY | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 400 |
| CONNEAUT CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 600 |
| SUNDAY CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 40 |
| STROUDS RUN | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| SKUNK RUN | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 80 |
| EAST BR SHADE RIVER | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 209 |
| W BRANCH SUNDAY CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 450 |
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.