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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COAL LICK RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,100 |
| DENNIS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,684 |
| HARGUS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| WHITELEY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| RUFF CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| NARROWS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 281 |
| SPRUCE RUN | Pennsylvania | Good | 1900 | 126 | 106 |
| SHAVER CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 79 |
| LITTLE TROUGH CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 55 |
| LEGGETTS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 10,771 |
| CHIQUES CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 820 |
| BIG RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| TULPEHOCKEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 200 |
| QUITTAPAHILLA CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 375 |
| TULPEHOCKEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 200 |
| WAPWALLOPEN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| LYCOMING CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| GREGS RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 55 |
| KISHACOQUILLAS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 80 |
| TUNKHANNOCK CK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 20 |
| SAW MILL RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 5,600 |
| SAW MILL RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 15,408 |
| DELAWARE CANAL DIVERSION | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 60 |
| Glade Run | Pennsylvania | Good | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| LITTLE SHAMOKIN CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| BIG BUFFALO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| DELAWARE RIVER | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 4,629 |
| SHENANDOAH CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 599 |
| BUFFALO CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 2,013 |
| BENS CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 150 |
| CASSELMAN RIVER | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| LAUREL HILL CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| ROARING FORK | Pennsylvania | Good | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| BEAVER DAM CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 150 |
| DARK SHADE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| STONYCREEK RIVER | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| FLAUGHERTY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | — |
| SEESE RUN | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 300 |
| MUNCY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| LITTLE LOYALSOCK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| LOYALSOCK CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 54 |
| CHOCONUT CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| CHOCONUT CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 100 |
| SNAKE CREEK | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| E. BR. LACKAWANNA RIVER | Pennsylvania | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 50 |
| E.BRANCH TUNKHANNOCK CR. | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 75 |
| OVER CEDAR RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 21 |
| CROOKED CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 150 |
| KELSEY CREEK | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 700 |
| LIMESTONE RUN | Pennsylvania | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 864 |
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.