Historic Bridges in Minnesota

1,035 bridges built before 1951 in Minnesota still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 1,035 bridges in Minnesota 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
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1939 87 50
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1939 87 225
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1939 87 225
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1939 87 18
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1939 87 64
CHASKA CREEK Minnesota Fair 1939 87 100
WOODBURY CREEK Minnesota Good 1939 87 25
KNIFE RIVER Minnesota Fair 1940 86 1,256
HILL RIVER Minnesota Fair 1940 86 2,150
S FK ZUMBRO RIVER Minnesota Fair 1940 86 26,500
EAST BRANCH STURGEON R Minnesota Fair 1940 86 556
FOSTER CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 1,614
N BR UPPER IOWA R Minnesota Fair 1940 86 5
OTTER TAIL RIVER Minnesota Fair 1940 86 5,025
MOUND CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 34
JACK CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 1,050
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1940 86 1,050
STREAM Minnesota Poor 1940 86 6
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1940 86 1,172
E FK BLUE EARTH RIVER Minnesota Fair 1940 86 720
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1940 86 1,250
BUCKMAN CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 2,220
TOAD RIVER Minnesota Poor 1940 86 28
MILLER CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 19,124
WOLF CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 370
DRY RUN Minnesota Fair 1940 86 396
LE SUEUR RIVER Minnesota Poor 1940 86 55
BULL RUN CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 164
DARK RIVER Minnesota Poor 1940 86 365
PAAVOLA CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 365
WOLF CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 25
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1940 86 75
CO DITCH # 9 Minnesota Poor 1940 86 456
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1940 86 1,357
STREAM Minnesota Poor 1940 86 1,357
N BR UPPER IOWA RIVER Minnesota Fair 1940 86 1,357
HAY CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 2,004
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1940 86 8,226
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1940 86 9,000
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1940 86 270
STREAM Minnesota Poor 1940 86 50
DITCH Minnesota Good 1940 86 75
JD #11 Minnesota Poor 1940 86 33
JD #5 Minnesota Fair 1940 86 40
SPUNK CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 510
S BR N FK WHITEWATER R Minnesota Good 1940 86 475
S FK WHITEWATER RIVER Minnesota Fair 1940 86 1,300
STREAM Minnesota Good 1940 86 730
MID FK WHITEWATER RIVER Minnesota Good 1940 86 45
JD #8 Minnesota Poor 1940 86 35

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.