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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCDUFFEE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 800 |
| BALTIMORE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 1,122 |
| MUSKEGON RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 4,700 |
| UNCLE HENRY DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1934 | 92 | 622 |
| FORESTER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 3,500 |
| CHERRY CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 3,294 |
| BIG CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 1,173 |
| MILL CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 788 |
| SMITHS CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 454 |
| CASS RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 5,255 |
| HURON & EASTERN RR | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 250 |
| MDOT RR CORRIDOR | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 14,908 |
| HURON RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 75 |
| BLAKELY DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 32,410 |
| MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 12,387 |
| E N HINES DRIVE | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 12,387 |
| N/BRANCH JOHNSON DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 6,799 |
| ELBA CANAL | Michigan | Poor | 1934 | 92 | 1,000 |
| UPPER ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1934 | 92 | 4,000 |
| MANISTEE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 5,896 |
| S BR RAISIN RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 7,560 |
| MARINA OUTLET | Michigan | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 1,500 |
| BLACK RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 4,714 |
| EAST BRANCH PINE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 159 |
| SUCKER RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 200 |
| RABBIT RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 11,100 |
| S BR PINE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 7,706 |
| SAVERINE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 155 |
| KAWKAWLIN RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 5,842 |
| PINCONNING RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 393 |
| COLD CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 2,681 |
| GREENE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 977 |
| UPPER BLACK RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 1,500 |
| S BR TOBACCO RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 7,472 |
| S BR TOBACCO RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 7,472 |
| AU SABLE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 13,375 |
| CANADIAN NATIONAL RR | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 8,019 |
| W BR STURGEON RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 3,033 |
| E BR ST JOSEPH OF MAUMEE | Michigan | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 579 |
| SILVER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 70 |
| SPRING CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 5,200 |
| PORTAGE CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 360 |
| PORTAGE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 200 |
| CEDAR CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1935 | 91 | 3,725 |
| GRATIOT RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 128 |
| SOUTH BR. FLINT RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1935 | 91 | 5,200 |
| SILVER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 1,253 |
| N BR TWO HEARTED RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 10 |
| BLACK RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 20 |
| BOISE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 50 |
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.