Historic Bridges in Illinois

3,065 bridges built before 1951 in Illinois still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 3,065 bridges in Illinois 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.

Clear
Bridge State Condition Year Built Age (Years) ADT
PARTRIDGE CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 100
N FORK EMBARRASS R Illinois Poor 1909 117 25
WILLOW CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 25
SNYDER CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 300
LITTLE WILLOW CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 75
MARLE CREEK Illinois Good 1909 117 100
CLEAR CREEK Illinois Good 1909 117 200
CROOKED CREEK Illinois Good 1909 117 100
MUDD CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 200
STOCKWELL BRANCH Illinois Poor 1909 117 425
STOCKWELL BRANCH Illinois Fair 1909 117 250
TRIB OF MILL CREEK Illinois Good 1909 117 375
W FORK EMBARRAS RV Illinois Good 1909 117 35
KETTERING BRANCH Illinois Good 1909 117 1,250
HURRICANE CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 50
RACCOON CREEK Illinois Poor 1909 117 100
BUCK CREEK Illinois Good 1909 117 75
LAKE BRANCH Illinois Fair 1909 117 525
STREAM Illinois Fair 1909 117 75
STREAM Illinois Fair 1909 117 100
LITTLE BRANCH Illinois Fair 1909 117 550
TOWN BRANCH CREEK Illinois Good 1909 117 325
STREAM Illinois Fair 1909 117 3,250
EI RR Illinois Poor 1909 117 250
N BR CHICAGO RIV Illinois Poor 1909 117 6,350
N.BRANCH CHGO RIVER Illinois Fair 1909 117 1,475
SANITARY&SHIP CANAL Illinois Poor 1909 117 22,000
POPLAR CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 3,000
N SHORE CHANNEL Illinois Fair 1909 117 7,600
N SHORE CHANNEL Illinois Fair 1909 117 2,300
N SHORE CHANNEL Illinois Fair 1909 117 400
CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 800
CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 425
CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 100
SUGAR CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 150
NO BUSINESS CREEK Illinois Good 1909 117 50
TRIB BIG CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 50
CREEK Illinois Poor 1909 117 50
NO BUSINESS CREEK Illinois Poor 1909 117 25
N FK EMBARRAS RIVER Illinois Poor 1909 117 50
CREEK Illinois Poor 1909 117 75
TRIB SUGAR CREEK Illinois Good 1909 117 500
CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 1,050
CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 2,200
CREEK Illinois Poor 1909 117 650
STREAM Illinois Poor 1909 117 1,000
STINKING CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 400
VILLAGE CREEK Illinois Fair 1909 117 75
DRAINAGE DITCH Illinois Poor 1909 117 25
BUTTER CREEK Illinois Poor 1909 117 200

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.