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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRAZOS RIVER | Texas | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 3,552 |
| LEWIS CREEK | Virginia | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 4,700 |
| LEWIS CREEK | Virginia | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 4,700 |
| Sugar Run | West Virginia | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 300 |
| CSX RAILROAD | West Virginia | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 100 |
| BIG CREEK | West Virginia | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 150 |
| FOX RIVER | Wisconsin | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 590 |
| BR BADGER MILL CREEK | Wisconsin | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 10 |
| SALTILLO CREEK | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 3,100 |
| SALTILLO CREEK | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 3,100 |
| DEPRESSION | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 3,500 |
| QUEBRADA CAMINO GUAYO | Puerto Rico | Good | 1901 | 125 | 2,900 |
| QUEBRADA | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 2,700 |
| CAGUAS REAL GOLF | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 500 |
| RIO TURABO GOLF CART | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 500 |
| CREEK TO RIO TURBADO | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 500 |
| Stream | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 500 |
| STREAM | Puerto Rico | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 4,500 |
| STREAM | Puerto Rico | Good | 1901 | 125 | 4,500 |
| STREAM | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 2,000 |
| STREAM | Puerto Rico | Good | 1901 | 125 | 17,300 |
| RIO TORO NEGRO | Puerto Rico | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 100 |
| RIO DUEY | Puerto Rico | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 200 |
| RIO CAÑAS | Puerto Rico | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 35,200 |
| _ | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 15,500 |
| RIO CULEBRINAS | Puerto Rico | Poor | 1901 | 125 | 5,900 |
| RIO DUEY | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 600 |
| STREAM | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 941 |
| _ | Puerto Rico | Fair | 1901 | 125 | 600 |
| LAUREL CREEK | Alabama | Fair | 1902 | 124 | 87 |
| HALLS CREEK | Alabama | Fair | 1902 | 124 | 70 |
| TRINITY RIVER | California | Good | 1902 | 124 | 751 |
| GARNETT CREEK | California | Poor | 1902 | 124 | 12,000 |
| YORK CREEK | California | Good | 1902 | 124 | 20,000 |
| WOODS CREEK | California | Fair | 1902 | 124 | 11,500 |
| SAN MATEO CREEK | California | Fair | 1902 | 124 | 230 |
| SARATOGA CREEK | California | Fair | 1902 | 124 | 2,450 |
| SHOOKS RUN | Colorado | Poor | 1902 | 124 | 18,034 |
| ROCK CREEK | District of Columbia | Fair | 1902 | 124 | 13,100 |
| YELLOW RIVER | Georgia | Fair | 1902 | 124 | 18,106 |
| FIGLEY CRK | Illinois | Good | 1902 | 124 | 50 |
| LONG BRANCH | Illinois | Poor | 1902 | 124 | 50 |
| N BR CHICAGO RIV | Illinois | Poor | 1902 | 124 | 18,600 |
| JACKSON PK LAGOON | Illinois | Fair | 1902 | 124 | 14,200 |
| STREAM | Illinois | Fair | 1902 | 124 | 25 |
| BIG BLUE RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1902 | 124 | 2,305 |
| MOUREY DRAIN | Indiana | Fair | 1902 | 124 | 104 |
| MISSISSINEWA RIVER | Indiana | Poor | 1902 | 124 | 600 |
| WHITE RIVER | Indiana | Good | 1902 | 124 | 280 |
| WEST FORK OF KEG CREEK | Indiana | Fair | 1902 | 124 | 80 |
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.