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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RR MBTA | Massachusetts | Good | 1901 | 125 | 17,300 |
| WATER TROUT BROOK | Massachusetts | Good | 1901 | 125 | 14,224 |
| WATER KITCHEN BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 12,714 |
| WATER ACUSHNET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 32,200 |
| WATER ACUSHNET RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 32,200 |
| COMB ACUS RIV/LOC ST/RR | Massachusetts | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 32,200 |
| WATER HIGHER BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 10,474 |
| RR AMTRAK/MBTA | Massachusetts | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 3,500 |
| WATER SEGREGANSETT RIVER | Massachusetts | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 18,362 |
| WATER COYS BROOK | Massachusetts | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 10,500 |
| CANOE STREAM | Michigan | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 935 |
| CANOE STREAM | Michigan | Good | 1901 | 125 | 296 |
| BALDWIN RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1901 | 125 | — |
| PAW PAW RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1901 | 125 | — |
| CHUNKY RIVER | Mississippi | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 110 |
| BR OF LIT WHITEWAT | Missouri | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 250 |
| UP RR | Missouri | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 35 |
| FIVE MILE CR | Missouri | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 15 |
| BUCK BR | Missouri | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 35 |
| E FK SALT POND CR | Missouri | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 35 |
| LOCATE CREEK 045 | Montana | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 23 |
| FLAT CREEK 036 | Montana | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 100 |
| FLOOD CREEK | Nebraska | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 15 |
| MINK BROOK | New Hampshire | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 2,168 |
| BLOOD BROOK | New Hampshire | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 1,167 |
| BEATTYS BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 1,983 |
| HAKIHOHAKE CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 499 |
| PLUM BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 456 |
| ROCKAWAY CREEK | New Jersey | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 169 |
| S BRANCH RARITAN RIVER | New Jersey | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 148 |
| PETERS BROOK | New Jersey | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 5,455 |
| POHATCONG CREEK | New Jersey | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 306 |
| TSATSAWASSA CREEK | New York | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 1,423 |
| BLACK RIVER | New York | Good | 1901 | 125 | 591 |
| BLACK RIVER | New York | Good | 1901 | 125 | 591 |
| SUSQUEHANNA RIVER | New York | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 7,276 |
| NEWTOWN CREEK | New York | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 10,303 |
| FALL KILL CREEK | New York | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 1,243 |
| E BR DELAWARE RVR | New York | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 554 |
| BUTTERNUT CREEK | New York | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 436 |
| SUSQUEHANNA RIVER | New York | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 23 |
| ERIE CANAL NORTH TOWPAT | New York | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 4,949 |
| DELAWARE RIVER | New York | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 355 |
| NIAGARA RIVER | New York | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 50 |
| NIAGARA RIVER | New York | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 50 |
| Creek | North Dakota | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 10 |
| Creek | North Dakota | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 10 |
| Creek | North Dakota | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 5 |
| JAMESTOWN RESERVOIR | North Dakota | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 135 |
| CUYAHOGA RIVER | Ohio | Good | 1901 | 125 | 3,176 |
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.