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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BURLEY RUN | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 453 |
| BRANCH OF WALNUT CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 901 |
| MUD RUN | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 520 |
| GREENBRIER CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 379 |
| OPOSSUM RUN | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 209 |
| MOCCASIN CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 324 |
| MOCCASIN CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 324 |
| PLUM RUN | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 614 |
| RATHMEL DITCH | Ohio | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 429 |
| WALNUT CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 46 |
| BRANCH OF WALNUT CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 46 |
| BR OF YELLOW BUD CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 324 |
| DRY RUN | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 248 |
| WALNUT CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 728 |
| BRANCH OF WALNUT CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 490 |
| SCIPPO CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 304 |
| BUSKIRK CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 324 |
| BR OF SCIOTO (BLACKER) | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 83 |
| BRANCH OF SCIOTO RIVER | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 1,010 |
| GRIFFYS RUN CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 110 |
| LITTLE WALNUT CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 306 |
| TURKEY RUN CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 668 |
| SCIPPO CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 162 |
| BRANCH OF SCIPPO CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 90 |
| DRY RUN CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 471 |
| DRY RUN CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 471 |
| DRY RUN | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 298 |
| SALT CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 614 |
| VAN METER RUN | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 132 |
| KINNIKINNICK CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 969 |
| PLUM RUN | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 2,213 |
| GROVE RUN | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 270 |
| BRANCH OF LITTLE WALNUT | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 831 |
| SCIPPO CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 400 |
| BR OF YELLOW BUD CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 246 |
| CUYAHOGA RIVER | Ohio | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| GOOSE CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 351 |
| POSSUM RUN | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 478 |
| SEVEN MILE CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 522 |
| AUKERMAN CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| SCOTTS RUN | Ohio | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 462 |
| DENNYS BRANCH | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 462 |
| GIFFORDS BRANCH | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 477 |
| KENWORTHY BRANCH | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| CLEARWATER CREEK | Ohio | Good | 1900 | 126 | 98 |
| AUKERMAN CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 629 |
| CLEAR CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 96 |
| LITTLE CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 420 |
| LITTLE CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 304 |
| LITTLE CREEK | Ohio | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 304 |
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.