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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LITTLE BULL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 3,323 |
| BR.LITTLE PLUM CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 4,508 |
| MCLAUGHLIN RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 3,740 |
| SAW MILL RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 13,866 |
| BULL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 602 |
| BIG SEWICKLEY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| CSX RR GLOSTER ST | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 3,000 |
| CSX RR BOUNDARY ST | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 8,722 |
| RIALTO STREET | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 1,650 |
| SAW MILL RUN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 1,350 |
| CHARTIERS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,642 |
| HEATHS RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,889 |
| THOMPSON RUN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 300 |
| DIRTY CAMP RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 5,000 |
| BUFFALO & PITT RR | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 250 |
| CROWS RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 26,289 |
| SERVICE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 246 |
| BRUSH RUN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| COVE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| IRONSTONE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 200 |
| SACONY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 230 |
| TULPEHOCKEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 141 |
| TULPEHOCKEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 33 |
| LITTLE BEECH FLATS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 350 |
| ALBA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 245 |
| TRIB WEST BR TOMJACK CRK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,064 |
| BUCKS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,482 |
| TRIB TO MILL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 166 |
| TINICUM CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| RAPP CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| TRIBUTARY PIDCOCK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 375 |
| N BR SLIPPERY ROCK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| WALNUT RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 6,561 |
| STONY CREEK RIVER | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 4,326 |
| LITTLE CHEST CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 3,081 |
| CHESTER VALLEY TRAIL | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 720 |
| KNIGHTS RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 250 |
| BENNETT BRANCH | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 148 |
| MOUNTAIN RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 45 |
| OVER LITTLE SUGAR BRANCH | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| OVER PINE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 250 |
| OVER FRENCH CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 250 |
| MAHANTANGO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | — |
| PAXTON CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 8,000 |
| COBBS CR;SEPTA/ 3589-A6 | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 24,154 |
| STONY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 420 |
| EAST BRANCH SPRING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 69 |
| CONNEAUTTEE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 31 |
| DICKERSON RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 444 |
| ABANDONED CSXT R/R | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 6,661 |
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.