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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLACK RIVER | Vermont | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 4,730 |
| CONNECTICUT RIVER | Vermont | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 6,958 |
| OTTAUQUECHEE RIVER | Vermont | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 400 |
| NESHOBE RIVER | Vermont | Good | 1900 | 126 | 9,300 |
| SIMPSON BROOK | Vermont | Good | 1900 | 126 | 1,300 |
| MILL RIVER | Vermont | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 970 |
| MILLER RUN | Vermont | Good | 1900 | 126 | 4,500 |
| CSX RAILWAY | Virginia | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 500 |
| ROANOKE RIVER | Virginia | Good | 1900 | 126 | 5,311 |
| PEYTON CREEK | Virginia | Good | 1900 | 126 | 130 |
| LITTLE MOCCASIN CREEK | Virginia | Good | 1900 | 126 | 1,238 |
| OHOP CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 7,615 |
| EAST DEER CR | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 645 |
| LITTLE BOULDER CR | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 358 |
| MAPLE CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,985 |
| THUNDER CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 3,684 |
| BLACK SLOUGH | Washington | Good | 1900 | 126 | 3,517 |
| HALF BR STA 155 | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,696 |
| WIDE HOLLOW CREEK | Washington | Good | 1900 | 126 | 14,180 |
| TANWAX CR | Washington | Good | 1900 | 126 | 7,089 |
| DRY RELIEF | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| INTERMITTENT STREAM | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 17 |
| IMBLER CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 13 |
| DUCK CREEK | Washington | Good | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| RED RIVER | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 11,365 |
| DRY WASH | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 26 |
| DRY WASH | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 8 |
| CREEK | Washington | Good | 1900 | 126 | 39 |
| CRAB CREEK | Washington | Good | 1900 | 126 | 11 |
| INTERMITTENT STREAM | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 80 |
| DRY RELIEF | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1 |
| DRAINAGE | Washington | Good | 1900 | 126 | 15 |
| MONARCH (WYMAN) CREEK | Washington | Good | 1900 | 126 | 1,498 |
| DRY WASH | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 62 |
| TEN MILE CR TRIB | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 841 |
| WILSON CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 14 |
| WELCH CREEK | Washington | Good | 1900 | 126 | 379 |
| FARRIER COULEE | Washington | Good | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| FOUR MILE CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 6 |
| WILSON CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 17 |
| FOUR MILE CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 30 |
| DRY WASH | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 9 |
| CRAB CREEK | Washington | Good | 1900 | 126 | 135 |
| FOUR MILE CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 10 |
| NO NAME CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 65 |
| N 57TH ST | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 12,400 |
| MCCOY CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 35 |
| CREEK | Washington | Good | 1900 | 126 | 500 |
| DAN CREEK | Washington | Good | 1900 | 126 | 3,479 |
| CASCADE CANAL | Washington | Good | 1900 | 126 | 2,702 |
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.