Historic Bridges in North Dakota

685 bridges built before 1951 in North Dakota still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 685 bridges in North Dakota 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
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1940 86 24
MID. BRANCH GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1940 86 10
BEAVER CREEK North Dakota Poor 1940 86 10
ELM RIVER North Dakota Poor 1940 86 40
FAIRDALE DRAIN North Dakota Fair 1940 86 74
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1940 86 10
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1940 86 30
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1940 86 300
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1940 86 25
PARK RIVER North Dakota Poor 1940 86 19
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1940 86 10
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1940 86 160
SOUTH FORK GREEN RIVER North Dakota Fair 1940 86 1,090
COUNTY DRAIN 12 North Dakota Fair 1941 85 30
THIRTY MILE CREEK North Dakota Poor 1941 85 15
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1941 85 80
WHITE EARTH RIVER North Dakota Fair 1941 85 72
TONGUE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1941 85 116
LITTLE HEART RIVER North Dakota Good 1941 85 1,660
FLAT CREEK North Dakota Fair 1941 85 1,370
BEAVER CREEK North Dakota Good 1941 85 2,340
CREEK North Dakota Good 1941 85 1,970
SPRING CREEK North Dakota Fair 1941 85 1,690
BRANCH OF SAND CREEK North Dakota Good 1941 85 1,570
SOUTH FORK-MAPLE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1941 85 850
MAPLE RIVER North Dakota Good 1941 85 970
COULEE North Dakota Poor 1942 84 1
HEART BUTTE CREEK North Dakota Fair 1942 84 10
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1942 84 10
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1942 84 25
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1942 84 10
WINTERING RIVER North Dakota Good 1942 84 25
WINTERING RIVER North Dakota Fair 1942 84 25
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1942 84 30
CART CREEK North Dakota Fair 1942 84 24
TONGUE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1942 84 30
NORTH FORK PARK RIVER North Dakota Poor 1942 84 10
LITTLE MISSOURI RIVER North Dakota Fair 1942 84 730
MAPLE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1943 83 20
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1943 83 25
NORTH FORK PARK North Dakota Fair 1943 83 10
CANNONBALL RIVER North Dakota Poor 1944 82 20
CANNONBALL RIVER North Dakota Fair 1944 82 95
HEART RIVER North Dakota Fair 1944 82 110
CANNONBALL RIVER North Dakota Poor 1944 82 26
WEST CUT BANK CREEK North Dakota Poor 1945 81 25
POWERS LAKE North Dakota Good 1945 81 365
MAPLE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1945 81 20
RUSH RIVER North Dakota Poor 1945 81 10
MAPLE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1945 81 20

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.