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.

Clear
Bridge State Condition Year Built Age (Years) ADT
PORTAGE RIVER Michigan Poor 1933 93 252
BUCK CR Michigan Poor 1933 93 27,400
RED CEDAR RIVER Michigan Poor 1933 93 142
MANISTEE RIVER Michigan Fair 1933 93 17,789
BIG CEDAR RIVER Michigan Good 1933 93 3,591
DEER CREEK Michigan Fair 1933 93 3,101
N BR CLAM RIVER Michigan Fair 1933 93 4,081
HART/MONT. LINEAR SP TRL Michigan Fair 1933 93 12,781
RUSH CREEK Michigan Fair 1933 93 31,311
BLACK RIVER Michigan Fair 1933 93 9,076
MILL CREEK Michigan Fair 1933 93 89
BLAKELY DRAIN Michigan Poor 1933 93 14,486
MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER Michigan Fair 1933 93 7,776
MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER Michigan Fair 1933 93 9,326
EN HINES DRIVE Michigan Poor 1933 93 9,326
JOHNSON DRAIN Michigan Fair 1933 93 10,057
BELL CREEK Michigan Poor 1933 93 24,472
MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER Michigan Poor 1933 93 150
FARMERS CR Michigan Poor 1933 93 16,489
BEAN CREEK Michigan Fair 1934 92 5,505
KAWKAWLIN RIVER Michigan Poor 1934 92 380
MEI LI CREEK Michigan Fair 1934 92 639
SOUTH BRANCH HOG CREEK Michigan Fair 1934 92 7,201
POWER CANAL Michigan Fair 1934 92 10,180
SEBEWA DRAIN Michigan Fair 1934 92 2,443
THREAD RIVER Michigan Fair 1934 92 1,163
KEARSLEY CREEK Michigan Poor 1934 92 315
PRESQUE ISLE RIVER Michigan Fair 1934 92 1,403
LITTLE BLACK RIVER Michigan Poor 1934 92 329
W BR STURGEON RIVER Michigan Fair 1934 92 679
SNAKE RIVER Michigan Fair 1934 92 3,883
TUPPER RIVER Michigan Fair 1934 92 6,610
S BR IRON RIVER Michigan Good 1934 92 1,300
CHIPPEWA RIVER Michigan Fair 1934 92 6,611
N BR CHIPPEWA RIVER Michigan Fair 1934 92 8,359
NORTH BR CHIPPEWA RIVER Michigan Poor 1934 92 1,420
BATTEESE CREEK Michigan Fair 1934 92 429
GRAND RIVER Michigan Fair 1934 92 15
SANBORN CREEK Michigan Fair 1934 92 3,813
EVANS CREEK Michigan Poor 1934 92 2,657
PINE RIVER Michigan Fair 1934 92 3,175
BLACK RIVER Michigan Fair 1934 92 10
CARP RIVER Michigan Fair 1934 92 1,004
MICHIGAMME RIVER Michigan Poor 1934 92 10
LINCOLN RIVER Michigan Fair 1934 92 4,764
HAYS CREEK Michigan Fair 1934 92 3,572
LITTLE CEDAR RIVER Michigan Poor 1934 92 92
INDIAN CREEK Michigan Poor 1934 92 5,815
S BRANCH PINE RIVER Michigan Good 1934 92 233
NORRIS CREEK Michigan Fair 1934 92 861

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.