Historic Bridges in Michigan
1,528 bridges built before 1951 in Michigan still in service today.
Bridges Built Before 1951
The United States has 1,528 bridges in Michigan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAINT CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1928 | 98 | 69 |
| SILVER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1928 | 98 | 11,804 |
| TONQUISH CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1928 | 98 | 15,081 |
| UPPER ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1928 | 98 | 23,213 |
| MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1928 | 98 | 5,403 |
| MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1928 | 98 | 12,382 |
| MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1928 | 98 | 11,000 |
| SEXTON KILFOIL DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1928 | 98 | 53,839 |
| ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1928 | 98 | 9,800 |
| DEXTER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 1,163 |
| BLACK CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 1,163 |
| RABBIT RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 2,216 |
| SAUK RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1929 | 97 | 6,063 |
| WABASCON CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 3,430 |
| NOTTAWA CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 5,203 |
| E BR MUNUSCONG RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 755 |
| FLETCHER CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 3,344 |
| CHARLOTTE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 4,061 |
| MAPLE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 7,103 |
| BATTLE CREEK RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 1,891 |
| LOBDELL LAKE DAM | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 10,073 |
| BRENT RUN | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 6,864 |
| PINE RUN | Michigan | Good | 1929 | 97 | 1,554 |
| KEARSLEY CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 375 |
| BRENT RUN | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 701 |
| SWARTZ CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1929 | 97 | 594 |
| PINE RUN | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 5,320 |
| BACKWATER PORTAGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 3,883 |
| PIGEON RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1929 | 97 | 4,865 |
| PINNEBOG RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 150 |
| GRAND RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1929 | 97 | 5,825 |
| TOLES CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1929 | 97 | 5,100 |
| RED CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 5,896 |
| PRAIRIE CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 8,456 |
| MAPLE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 2,533 |
| STONEY CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 2,533 |
| AU GRES RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1929 | 97 | 3,200 |
| AU GRES RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1929 | 97 | 3,200 |
| CHICAGOAN CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 3,653 |
| IRON RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 800 |
| N BRANCH KALAMAZOO RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 1,140 |
| GRAND RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 33,588 |
| ROGUE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 20,285 |
| BALDWIN CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 4,771 |
| M BR PERE MARQUETTE RIV | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 112 |
| LITTLE MANISTEE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 30 |
| LELAND RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 1,169 |
| W BRANCH CHOCOLAY RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 40 |
| PARIS CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 7,428 |
| LITTLE RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1929 | 97 | 4,528 |
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.