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.
| Bridge | State | Condition | Year Built | Age (Years) | ADT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRAIN DITCH | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 10 |
| AUGER COULEE | North Dakota | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 5 |
| CREEK | North Dakota | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 10 |
| DRAIN DITCH | North Dakota | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 24 |
| DRAIN DITCH | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 24 |
| BR. OF WILD RICE RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 10 |
| CREEK | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 503 |
| MAPLE RIVER | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 34 |
| PIPESTEM CREEK | North Dakota | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 26 |
| NORTH BRANCH GOOSE RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 10 |
| CREEK | North Dakota | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 65 |
| NORTH BRANCH ELM RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 20 |
| BUFFALO COULEE | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 20 |
| BUFFALO COULEE | North Dakota | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 20 |
| CREEK | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 2 |
| CREEK | North Dakota | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 10 |
| CREEK | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 5 |
| CREEK | North Dakota | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 26 |
| CREEK | North Dakota | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 27 |
| DITCH | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 24 |
| DRAIN DITCH | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 26 |
| JAMES RIVER | North Dakota | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 10 |
| MOUSE RIVER | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 4,469 |
| CREEK | North Dakota | Good | 1950 | 76 | 9,900 |
| BRANCH OF BEAVER CREEK | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 510 |
| LITTLE MISSOURI RIVER | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 580 |
| JAMES RIVER | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 1,350 |
| CREEK | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 950 |
| TIMBER COULEE | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 2,960 |
| DES LACS RIVER | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 25 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | North Dakota | Good | 1950 | 76 | 1,950 |
| DRAINAGE DITCH | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 1,950 |
| B N R R SEP OH | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 790 |
| KNIFE RIVER | North Dakota | Fair | 1950 | 76 | 790 |
| BRANCH OF RAYMOND CREEK | North Dakota | Poor | 1950 | 76 | 780 |
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.