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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRANCH OF SHOAL CR | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 25 |
| BRANCH OF BEAVER CR | Illinois | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 25 |
| TRIB INDIAN CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 50 |
| DORRIS CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1901 | 125 | 50 |
| CONRAIL RR | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 200 |
| E. BUREAU CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 25 |
| HOWELL HOLLOW CRK BR | Illinois | Good | 1901 | 125 | 700 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 200 |
| WEST POINT CR | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 25 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 25 |
| TRIB W POINT CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1901 | 125 | 25 |
| BRANCH SUGAR CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1901 | 125 | 250 |
| SUGAR CREEK BRANCH | Illinois | Good | 1901 | 125 | 10 |
| PRAIRIE CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 25 |
| COLES CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 25 |
| QUEENS LAKE BR | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 325 |
| DITCH | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 3,200 |
| SEMINARY CK | Illinois | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 175 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 25 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 150 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 10 |
| PROUGH BRANCH | Illinois | Good | 1901 | 125 | 150 |
| BIRCH CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 50 |
| BR OF EDWARDS RIVER | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 10 |
| LITTLE PIASA CREEK | Illinois | Good | 1901 | 125 | 475 |
| WEST FORK APPLE RIV | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 50 |
| E FORK GALENA RIV | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 25 |
| WOLF CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 150 |
| S FORK APPLE RIV | Illinois | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 25 |
| UNNAMED CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 50 |
| CN RR | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 50 |
| GREEN RV DRAINAGE DI | Illinois | Good | 1901 | 125 | 300 |
| THREE MILE BRANCH | Illinois | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 25 |
| TRIB BEECH CR | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 50 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | Illinois | Good | 1901 | 125 | 25 |
| MUD CREEK | Illinois | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 50 |
| PIASA CR. | Illinois | Good | 1901 | 125 | 150 |
| W Trib to Sugar Crk | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 5,300 |
| TRIB TO SILVER CK | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 175 |
| SILVER CK | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 50 |
| TRIB TO SILVER CK | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 100 |
| TRIB TO SILVER CK | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 300 |
| SILVER LAKE FORK | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 100 |
| TR1B TO SILVER CK | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 150 |
| CONRAIL RR | Illinois | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 225 |
| TRIB TO LITTLE SILVR | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 200 |
| SILVER CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | — |
| PENN CENTRAL RR | Illinois | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 350 |
| B&N RR | Illinois | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 20 |
| PLUM CREEK | Illinois | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 75 |
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.