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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CABIN JOHN CREEK | Maryland | Fair | 1863 | 163 | 12,300 |
| ASHUELOT RIVER | New Hampshire | Fair | 1863 | 163 | 1,167 |
| KILLBUCK CREEK | Ohio | Poor | 1863 | 163 | 564 |
| TROUT RIVER | Vermont | Good | 1863 | 163 | 450 |
| RR PCRR (ABANDONED) | Massachusetts | Fair | 1864 | 162 | 400 |
| ASHUELOT RIVER | New Hampshire | Good | 1864 | 162 | 821 |
| Sherman Creek | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1864 | 162 | 159 |
| 24TH STREET | Pennsylvania | Good | 1864 | 162 | 8,914 |
| LITTLE GUNPOWDER FALLS | Maryland | Fair | 1865 | 161 | 548 |
| TRUMANSBURG CREEK | New York | Fair | 1865 | 161 | 8,994 |
| ORISKANY CREEK | New York | Fair | 1865 | 161 | 3,950 |
| GENESEE RIVER | New York | Fair | 1865 | 161 | 10,665 |
| BLACK RIVER CANAL | New York | Fair | 1865 | 161 | 4 |
| WILLOWEMOC CREEK | New York | Fair | 1865 | 161 | — |
| BEAVER KILL | New York | Fair | 1865 | 161 | 48 |
| OLD ERIE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1865 | 161 | 454 |
| OLD ERIE CANAL | New York | Fair | 1865 | 161 | 4,303 |
| OLD ERIE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1865 | 161 | 21 |
| OLD ERIE CANAL | New York | Fair | 1865 | 161 | 370 |
| OLD ERIE CANAL | New York | Fair | 1865 | 161 | 40 |
| OLD ERIE CANAL | New York | Fair | 1865 | 161 | 1,716 |
| OLD ERIE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1865 | 161 | 1,167 |
| OLD ERIE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1865 | 161 | 301 |
| OLD ERIE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1865 | 161 | 76 |
| OLD ERIE CANAL | New York | Poor | 1865 | 161 | 742 |
| VALLEY CR. 3365-G7 | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1865 | 161 | 1,604 |
| ROARING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1865 | 161 | — |
| PASCOAG RIVER | Rhode Island | Poor | 1865 | 161 | 5,800 |
| OTTER CREEK | Vermont | Fair | 1865 | 161 | 700 |
| MILL BROOK | Vermont | Fair | 1865 | 161 | 600 |
| BLACK CREEK | Vermont | Good | 1865 | 161 | 130 |
| OTTAUQUECHEE RIVER | Vermont | Fair | 1865 | 161 | 500 |
| CONNECTICUT RIVER | New Hampshire | Poor | 1866 | 160 | 2,722 |
| SHAWNEE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1866 | 160 | 50 |
| FRENCH CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1866 | 160 | 3,524 |
| CONNECTICUT RIVER | Vermont | Poor | 1866 | 160 | 2,655 |
| BIG RACCOON Creek | Indiana | Poor | 1867 | 159 | 95 |
| OHIO RIVER | Kentucky | Poor | 1867 | 159 | 9,054 |
| FLAT RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1867 | 159 | 144 |
| SECOND RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1867 | 159 | 1,462 |
| ROBINSON BR RAHWAY RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1867 | 159 | 26,650 |
| GRAND RIVER | Ohio | Good | 1867 | 159 | 1,392 |
| US27 & OHIO RIVER | Ohio | Fair | 1867 | 159 | 9,054 |
| ISLAND RUN | Ohio | Fair | 1867 | 159 | 209 |
| DUNNING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1867 | 159 | 60 |
| FRENCH CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1867 | 159 | 3,326 |
| VALLEY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1867 | 159 | 1,831 |
| CONESTOGA RIVER | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1867 | 159 | 425 |
| VANDERMARK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1867 | 159 | 50 |
| OMPOMPANOOSUC RIVER | Vermont | Good | 1867 | 159 | 530 |
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.