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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OLSON CREEK | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 25 |
| Deep Creek | Washington | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 209 |
| TUSCARORA CREEK | West Virginia | Good | 1900 | 126 | 2,000 |
| KITCHEN CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 150 |
| BRANCH CHERRY RUN | West Virginia | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 250 |
| SLEEPY CREEK | West Virginia | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 3,100 |
| Wheeling Creek | West Virginia | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 7,500 |
| TYGART VALLEY RIVER | West Virginia | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 600 |
| SUSSEX CREEK | Wisconsin | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 1,600 |
| BRANCH RIVER | Wisconsin | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 840 |
| PINE CREEK | Wisconsin | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 640 |
| UNION PACIFIC RR | Wisconsin | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 79 |
| CROOKED CREEK | Wisconsin | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 102 |
| CN RR | Wisconsin | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 52 |
| BR MORRIS CREEK | Wisconsin | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 23 |
| S BR LITTLE WOLF RIVER | Wisconsin | Good | 1900 | 126 | 421 |
| JUAN GONZALEZ CREEK | Puerto Rico | Poor | 1900 | 126 | 1,000 |
| WATERWAY | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 3,500 |
| DEPRESSION | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 4,100 |
| DEPRESSION | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 4,100 |
| DEPRESSION | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 4,100 |
| SANTANA CREEK | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 2,800 |
| WATERWAY | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1900 | 126 | 12,800 |
| Chase Creek | Arizona | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 458 |
| DRY CREEK | California | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 220 |
| LITTLE WOLF CREEK | California | Good | 1901 | 125 | 1,075 |
| BLOSSOM CREEK | California | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 2,775 |
| SAN LEANDRO CREEK | California | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 25,000 |
| SAN MATEO CREEK | California | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 3,630 |
| FOREIGN TRADE ZONE BLVD | Colorado | Good | 1901 | 125 | 435 |
| Misc Drainage Basin | Colorado | Good | 1901 | 125 | 6,085 |
| Local Drainage | Colorado | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 309 |
| Capitol Creek | Colorado | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 2 |
| WEST BRANCH TROUT BROOK | Connecticut | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 15,660 |
| METRO NORTH RAILROAD | Connecticut | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 5,146 |
| HOUSATONIC RAILROAD | Connecticut | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 1,500 |
| Ditch | Florida | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 300 |
| Unnamed Branch | Florida | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 1,400 |
| Unnamed Branch | Florida | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 3,000 |
| Branch of Kennedy Creek | Florida | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 250 |
| Unnamed Branch | Florida | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 2,400 |
| Coldwater Creek | Florida | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 500 |
| Moore Creek | Florida | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 450 |
| Mare Branch | Florida | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 350 |
| Unnamed Branch | Florida | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 500 |
| Juniper Creek | Florida | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 500 |
| Pond Creek | Florida | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 1,200 |
| Wakulla River | Florida | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 1,400 |
| Vause Branch | Florida | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 650 |
| Bay Branch | Florida | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 1,500 |
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.