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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.