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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WILSON CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 30 |
| TROUT FALLS CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1935 | 91 | 30 |
| SCHWEITZERS CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1935 | 91 | 10 |
| NELSON CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 300 |
| CSX RR | Michigan | Good | 1935 | 91 | 11,200 |
| FLEMING DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 36 |
| MUSKEGON RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 4,338 |
| LOCKWOOD DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 937 |
| OTTER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 965 |
| CEDAR CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 7,400 |
| CEDAR CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 6,670 |
| RIO GRANDE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 3,315 |
| BRATON CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 5,638 |
| OCQUEOC RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 210 |
| S BR AU SABLE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 5,505 |
| WOLF CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1935 | 91 | 1,276 |
| E BR OF GRIFFUS CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 3,741 |
| THREE MILE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 2,548 |
| BELLE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 53 |
| HOWE DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 7,348 |
| BLACK RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 310 |
| SOUTH BR. PINE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 137 |
| SUCKER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 335 |
| MAPLE BROOK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 158 |
| CONRAIL | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 23,232 |
| JOHNSON DRAIN | Michigan | Good | 1935 | 91 | 6,222 |
| BELL CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 29,494 |
| THOROFARE CANAL | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 2,803 |
| BLAKELY DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 3,405 |
| SINES DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 2,100 |
| SWAN CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1935 | 91 | 411 |
| LOW BRANCH ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 8,500 |
| CLAM RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 23,406 |
| BEACH DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 540 |
| SUCKER CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1936 | 90 | 830 |
| W BR WHITEFISH RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 2,264 |
| W BR WHITEFISH RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1936 | 90 | 1,640 |
| S BR DEVIL RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 5,537 |
| FRASER-GARFIELD DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1936 | 90 | 486 |
| CONRAIL (ABN) & OX CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 10,503 |
| MCLEOD DITCH | Michigan | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 2,127 |
| WHITEFISH RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 7,343 |
| BULL RUN CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1936 | 90 | 3,462 |
| BIG FISHDAM RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 3,462 |
| LITTLE FISHDAM RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 3,462 |
| BIG CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1936 | 90 | 2,466 |
| SHIAWASSEE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 172 |
| JACKSON CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 1,177 |
| LITTLE PRESQUE ISLE RIV | Michigan | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 1,177 |
| SLATE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 655 |
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.