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
RUSH RIVER North Dakota Fair 1945 81 20
BRANCH OF MAPLE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1945 81 20
CANNONBALL RIVER North Dakota Good 1945 81 80
HAY COULEE CREEK North Dakota Fair 1945 81 32
HEART RIVER North Dakota Fair 1945 81 30
CROWN BUTTE CREEK North Dakota Good 1945 81 230
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1945 81 5
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1945 81 10
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1945 81 5
FOREST RIVER North Dakota Fair 1945 81 26
FOREST RIVER North Dakota Poor 1945 81 24
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1945 81 5
MOUSE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1945 81 25
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1945 81 2,850
GREEN RIVER North Dakota Fair 1946 80 26
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1946 80 20
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1946 80 70
DRAIN DITCH North Dakota Fair 1946 80 5
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1946 80 26
TIMBER CREEK North Dakota Fair 1946 80 20
BANK CREEK North Dakota Poor 1946 80 25
IRRIGATION CANAL North Dakota Fair 1946 80 20
COTTONWOOD LAKE North Dakota Poor 1946 80 20
WILLOW CREEK North Dakota Fair 1946 80 5
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1946 80 10
DRAIN DITCH North Dakota Fair 1946 80 27
TONGUE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1946 80 10
DITCH North Dakota Fair 1946 80 24
ANTELOPE CREEK North Dakota Good 1946 80 500
DES LACS RIVER North Dakota Good 1946 80 25
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1946 80 10
DRAINAGE DITCH North Dakota Fair 1947 79 35
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1947 79 15
DRAIN 14 North Dakota Fair 1947 79 1,555
FRESH WATER COULEE North Dakota Fair 1947 79 35
WILLOW CREEK North Dakota Poor 1947 79 25
TURTLE CREEK North Dakota Fair 1947 79 48
DRAINAGE AREA North Dakota Fair 1947 79 100
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1947 79 100
HAILSTORM CREEK North Dakota Fair 1947 79 100
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1947 79 5
DES LACS RIVER North Dakota Fair 1947 79 5
JAMES RIVER North Dakota Fair 1947 79 3,155
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1947 79 1,480
WILLOW CREEK North Dakota Fair 1947 79 1,350
MOTT COULEE North Dakota Good 1947 79 1,520
OAK CREEK North Dakota Fair 1947 79 2,370
BONNES COULEE North Dakota Good 1947 79 2,360
WINTERING RIVER North Dakota Fair 1947 79 1,100
CREEK North Dakota Good 1947 79 380

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.