Oldest Bridges in America
The 50 oldest bridges still in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory, some dating back to the 1800s. Age does not equal poor condition — many of these structures have been rehabilitated repeatedly and continue to carry traffic at posted loads. The oldest still-active entry is U.S. HIGHWAY 101 in California, built in 1895.
How Bridges Stay in Service for a Century or More
Almost every bridge in this ranking has been rehabilitated at least once. The Federal Highway Administration tracks both an original Year Built and a Year Reconstructed in the National Bridge Inventory; many of the structures listed here have had decks, expansion joints, beam-ends, and bearings replaced one or more times since original construction. The substructure (piers and abutments) is often the most original element on a vintage bridge, while the riding surface may be only a few decades old.
Historic-bridge designations also play a role. A structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places or designated by a state preservation office may receive specialized maintenance funding that keeps it in service longer than would be economical for an undesignated structure of the same age and condition.
| # | Bridge | State | Year Built | Age | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | U.S. HIGHWAY 101 | California | 1895 | 131 yrs | 0 | F |
| 2 | INTERSTATE-84 | Connecticut | 1906 | 120 yrs | 21 | D |
| 3 | Hwy 001 (I-5) | Oregon | 1916 | 110 yrs | 47 | C |
| 4 | STATE ROUTE 99 | California | 1924 | 102 yrs | 47 | C |
| 5 | IR 90 | Ohio | 1925 | 101 yrs | 0 | F |
| 6 | IH 45 | Texas | 1926 | 100 yrs | 0 | F |
| 7 | U.S. HIGHWAY 101 | California | 1926 | 100 yrs | 0 | F |
| 8 | U.S. HIGHWAY 101 | California | 1926 | 100 yrs | 0 | F |
| 9 | IH 35 ML & FR | Texas | 1926 | 100 yrs | 0 | F |
| 10 | INTERSTATE 5 | California | 1927 | 99 yrs | 0 | F |
| 11 | NJ 17 | New Jersey | 1927 | 99 yrs | 54 | C |
| 12 | INTERSTATE 680 | California | 1927 | 99 yrs | 50 | C |
| 13 | U.S. HIGHWAY 101 | California | 1928 | 98 yrs | 58 | C |
| 14 | US 101 ROLLINS RD | California | 1928 | 98 yrs | 0 | F |
| 15 | INTERSTATE 80 | California | 1928 | 98 yrs | 36 | D |
| 16 | U.S. HIGHWAY 101 | California | 1928 | 98 yrs | 43 | C |
| 17 | U.S. HIGHWAY 101 | California | 1929 | 97 yrs | 58 | C |
| 18 | MON CO RT 19/25 | West Virginia | 1930 | 96 yrs | 25 | D |
| 19 | I-95 (UPPER LEVEL) | New Jersey | 1930 | 96 yrs | 58 | C |
| 20 | I-95 | New Jersey | 1930 | 96 yrs | 47 | C |
| 21 | U.S. HIGHWAY 101 | California | 1930 | 96 yrs | 0 | F |
| 22 | U.S. HIGHWAY 101 | California | 1930 | 96 yrs | 0 | F |
| 23 | U.S. HIGHWAY 101 | California | 1930 | 96 yrs | 0 | F |
| 24 | SR 80 | Arizona | 1930 | 96 yrs | 0 | F |
| 25 | 95I 95I04011007 | New Jersey | 1931 | 95 yrs | 39 | D |
| 26 | RTE I95 | New York | 1931 | 95 yrs | 39 | D |
| 27 | INTERSTATE 10 | California | 1932 | 94 yrs | 58 | C |
| 28 | INTERSTATE 80 | California | 1932 | 94 yrs | 36 | D |
| 29 | US 281 | Texas | 1932 | 94 yrs | 0 | F |
| 30 | U.S. HIGHWAY 101 | California | 1932 | 94 yrs | 47 | C |
| 31 | IH 35 ML & FR | Texas | 1933 | 93 yrs | 0 | F |
| 32 | NJ 17 | New Jersey | 1933 | 93 yrs | 47 | C |
| 33 | RTE 908M | New York | 1933 | 93 yrs | 25 | D |
| 34 | IH 35 | Texas | 1933 | 93 yrs | 0 | F |
| 35 | STATE ROUTE 99 | California | 1933 | 93 yrs | 0 | F |
| 36 | IH 35 ML & NB FR | Texas | 1934 | 92 yrs | 0 | F |
| 37 | INTERSTATE 10 | California | 1934 | 92 yrs | 58 | C |
| 38 | US 281 | Texas | 1934 | 92 yrs | 0 | F |
| 39 | IH 10 EB | Texas | 1934 | 92 yrs | 50 | C |
| 40 | US 281 | Texas | 1934 | 92 yrs | 0 | F |
| 41 | RTE 908G | New York | 1934 | 92 yrs | 50 | C |
| 42 | INTERSTATE 80 EB | California | 1935 | 91 yrs | 58 | C |
| 43 | IH 35 ML | Texas | 1935 | 91 yrs | 54 | C |
| 44 | IH 35 ML & SBFR | Texas | 1935 | 91 yrs | 0 | F |
| 45 | N QUEEN ANNE DR | Washington | 1935 | 91 yrs | 47 | C |
| 46 | RTE 908A | New York | 1935 | 91 yrs | 43 | C |
| 47 | INTERSTATE 80 | California | 1936 | 90 yrs | 0 | F |
| 48 | INTERSTATE 80 | California | 1936 | 90 yrs | 58 | C |
| 49 | INTERSTATE 215 NB | California | 1936 | 90 yrs | 58 | C |
| 50 | INTERSTATE 80 | California | 1936 | 90 yrs | 43 | C |
What "Design Life" Actually Means
AASHTO bridge design specifications historically used a 50-year design life; current specifications target 75 years. Both are planning figures used to size structural elements at construction time, not expiration dates. Real service life depends on the materials used, the local environment (de-icing salt, freeze-thaw cycles, marine atmosphere), the maintenance investment, and the loads actually carried over time. Many of the bridges listed here have already exceeded their original design life by a wide margin and remain rated at the same condition tiers as comparable younger structures.
The ASCE Infrastructure Report Card notes that the share of U.S. bridges 50+ years old is rising as the post-Interstate-buildout cohort ages. Roughly 40% of U.S. bridges are now in that range, and replacing them all is not financially feasible — which is why rehabilitation and life-extension work, rather than wholesale replacement, dominates state DOT capital programs.
How to Read the Condition Scores
Each bridge in the table above carries a Condition Score from 0 to 100 with an A-F grade — the BridgeWatch composite that combines deck, superstructure, and substructure ratings from the latest NBI inspection. Vintage bridges with high scores generally have benefited from recent rehabilitation; vintage bridges with low scores are typically deferred-maintenance candidates awaiting state DOT capital programming. For methodology — how the score is computed and how missing component ratings are handled — see the methodology page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is "oldest" defined here?
The ranking uses the Year Built field reported by the owning state DOT to the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. For structures that have been substantially rebuilt, the NBI also tracks Year Reconstructed, but the Year Built date is what determines the original construction era. Bridges with confirmed reconstruction years often have ratings comparable to much newer structures because the deck and superstructure have been replaced.
Are 100+ year old bridges actually still safe to use?
Many of the oldest bridges still in active service have been rehabilitated multiple times. State DOTs apply the same biennial inspection cycle to a 19th-century bridge as to a 21st-century bridge, and the same NBI 0-9 rating thresholds apply. A high age does not by itself indicate poor current condition; the deck, superstructure, and substructure ratings on this page are the relevant signal. Bridges remain open at posted load limits set by the state DOT.
Why are some old bridges still in service when newer ones get replaced?
Replacement decisions are made by state DOTs based on a combination of physical condition, functional adequacy (lane width, load capacity), traffic volume, and historic-bridge designation. A vintage bridge with a low ADT and good current condition is often a lower replacement priority than a newer-but-deteriorating bridge on a busier route. The ASCE Infrastructure Report Card provides national context on rehabilitation versus replacement trade-offs.
What is the typical design life for a U.S. bridge?
AASHTO design specifications historically used a 50-year design life; current specifications target 75 years. Many U.S. bridges have exceeded their original design life and remain in active service through cycles of deck replacement, beam strengthening, and substructure repair. Design life is an engineering planning figure, not an expiration date — actual service life depends on inspection findings and maintenance investment.
Where does the underlying data come from?
All figures on this page come from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/nbi.cfm. Inspection records originate with each state DOT under the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS). The ranking reflects the 2025 NBI release, refreshed April 2026.