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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLEMMING DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 291 |
| WRIGHT DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 291 |
| MIDDLE BR CLAM RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 2,466 |
| CLAM RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 2,696 |
| MILAN-MACON DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 110 |
| NORTH MACON CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 1,250 |
| STONY CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 1,047 |
| CEDAR CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 7,230 |
| MUSKEGON RIVER S BRANCH | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 599 |
| CLINTON R | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 36,241 |
| ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 69,850 |
| AU GRES RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 3,875 |
| M BR ONTONAGON RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 2,303 |
| BASS RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 8,591 |
| N BR BAD RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 10,976 |
| BLUMFIELD CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 8,033 |
| BLACK RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 1,500 |
| MANISTIQUE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 490 |
| LITTLE PORTAGE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 4,050 |
| CHEBOYGANING CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 2,842 |
| DEQUINDRE CUT | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 19,649 |
| LOWER ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 26,614 |
| DETROIT RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1929 | 97 | 7,875 |
| DEQUINDRE CUT GREENWAY | Michigan | Poor | 1929 | 97 | 1,100 |
| KALAMAZOO RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 11,469 |
| AU GRES RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 7,728 |
| N BR KAWKAWLIN RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 438 |
| CONSTANT-DURUSSELL DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 106 |
| PINCONNING RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 267 |
| ST JOSEPH RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 3,193 |
| GALIEN RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 36 |
| HOG CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 600 |
| COLD CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 5,588 |
| WARREN BROOK DRAIN 20/31 | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 1,950 |
| TEK CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 2,524 |
| ST JOSEPH RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 2,524 |
| NOTTAWA CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 1,797 |
| CHRISTIANA CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 146 |
| DOWAGIAC RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 56 |
| DOWAGIAC RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 26 |
| E BR MUNUSCONG RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 755 |
| BEAR RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 28,667 |
| SHIAWASSEE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 3,587 |
| MISTEGUAY CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 221 |
| PIRNIE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 5,057 |
| ALGER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 216 |
| BRENT RUN | Michigan | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 426 |
| SWARTZ CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 542 |
| BUTTERNUT CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1930 | 96 | 346 |
| KEARSLEY CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1930 | 96 | 328 |
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.