Historic Bridges
94,381 bridges built before 1951 across the United States still in service today.
Bridges Built Before 1951
The United States has 94,381 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turner Tee Creek - Wash. | Arkansas | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 2,163 |
| OREGON CREEK | California | Good | 1860 | 166 | 60 |
| NAPA CREEK | California | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 5,972 |
| NORWALK RIVER | Connecticut | Good | 1860 | 166 | 13,800 |
| NONEWAUG RIVER | Connecticut | Good | 1860 | 166 | 394 |
| FIVE MILE RIVER | Connecticut | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 1,400 |
| BIG SHAWNEE Creek | Indiana | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 120 |
| FISHING CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 298 |
| BIG ELK CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 10 |
| WATER BACK RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 9,200 |
| WATER NORTH CANAL | Massachusetts | Poor | 1860 | 166 | 18,300 |
| WATER CHARLES RIVER | Massachusetts | Good | 1860 | 166 | 22,500 |
| WATER LITTLE RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 3,400 |
| WATER STONY BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 3,600 |
| PERRY STREAM | New Hampshire | Poor | 1860 | 166 | 191 |
| PAULINS KILL | New Jersey | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 167 |
| MUSCONETCONG RIVER | New Jersey | Good | 1860 | 166 | 388 |
| PED BET 61ST&62ST | New York | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 397 |
| PED OPP 63RD ST | New York | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 498 |
| PEDESTRIAN WALK | New York | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 133 |
| FEEDER TO LAKE | New York | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 231 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK | New York | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 199 |
| GREAT MIAMI RIVER | Ohio | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 324 |
| SWAMP CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 595 |
| MILL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 900 |
| BRANCH BRANDYWINE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 2,283 |
| POWELLS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1860 | 166 | 6,935 |
| PINE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1860 | 166 | 320 |
| Conococheague Creek | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 2,696 |
| PEQUEA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 400 |
| JORDAN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1860 | 166 | 200 |
| LOWER LITTLE SWATARA CR | Pennsylvania | Good | 1860 | 166 | 50 |
| LOWER LITTLE SWATARA CR | Pennsylvania | Good | 1860 | 166 | 50 |
| SUGAR Creek | Indiana | Good | 1861 | 165 | 454 |
| WATER CHARLES RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1861 | 165 | 40,200 |
| RR MBTA | Massachusetts | Fair | 1861 | 165 | 2,200 |
| WATER IPSWICH RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1861 | 165 | 2,700 |
| WATER IPSWICH RIVER | Massachusetts | Poor | 1861 | 165 | 2,700 |
| WATER CHARLES RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1861 | 165 | 9,000 |
| KILL BROOK AQUEDUCT | New York | Fair | 1861 | 165 | 1,068 |
| ISRAEL RIVER | New Hampshire | Fair | 1862 | 164 | 750 |
| UPPER AMMONOOSUC RIVER | New Hampshire | Good | 1862 | 164 | 379 |
| ASHUELOT RIVER | New Hampshire | Fair | 1862 | 164 | 792 |
| BRIDLE OPP 64 ST | New York | Fair | 1862 | 164 | 397 |
| NR CONCERT GRNDS | New York | Good | 1862 | 164 | 15 |
| PED WALK OPP 73ST | New York | Fair | 1862 | 164 | 220 |
| PED WALK OPP 82ST | New York | Fair | 1862 | 164 | 231 |
| LA MINA RIVER | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1862 | 164 | 10,300 |
| BUREAU CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1863 | 163 | 275 |
| ANTIETAM CREEK | Maryland | Good | 1863 | 163 | 580 |
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 |
| Virgin Islands | 5 | 1904 | 112 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.