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
Norwegian Creek Minnesota Fair 1946 80 657
JUD DITCH # 11 Minnesota Fair 1946 80 1,037
ROCK RIVER Minnesota Fair 1946 80 1,823
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1946 80 657
DEER CREEK Minnesota Fair 1946 80 50
CREEK FROM SCHOOL LAKE Minnesota Fair 1946 80 590
SPLIT ROCK CREEK Minnesota Fair 1946 80 42
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1946 80 64
CD #71 Minnesota Fair 1946 80 390
SIMPSON CREEK Minnesota Good 1947 79 285
SPLIT ROCK CREEK Minnesota Fair 1947 79 3,974
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1947 79 1,447
Bassett Creek Minnesota Fair 1947 79 14,248
HEATH CREEK Minnesota Fair 1947 79 1,700
BURNHAM CREEK Minnesota Fair 1947 79 1,100
MUDDY CREEK Minnesota Fair 1947 79 2,015
DITCH Minnesota Fair 1947 79 25
DRY WEATHER CREEK(CD #22 Minnesota Good 1947 79 664
COON CREEK Minnesota Fair 1947 79 1,260
LAKE MARIO Minnesota Fair 1947 79 9,222
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1947 79 20
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1947 79 20
NINE MILE CREEK Minnesota Poor 1947 79 110
N BR SUNRISE RIVER Minnesota Fair 1947 79 8,536
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1947 79 2,721
DITCH Minnesota Fair 1947 79 2,618
DITCH Minnesota Fair 1947 79 2,632
WHALAN CREEK Minnesota Fair 1947 79 65
JD #25 Minnesota Good 1947 79 15
NET RIVER Minnesota Fair 1947 79 12
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1947 79 24
S BR SUNRISE RIVER Minnesota Fair 1948 78 5,230
KETTLE RIVER; ST Minnesota Fair 1948 78 2,320
BURNHAM CREEK Minnesota Fair 1948 78 1,287
STREAM Minnesota Good 1948 78 3,710
WHITE WATER CREEK Minnesota Fair 1948 78 3,379
LE SUEUR RIVER Minnesota Fair 1948 78 5,500
S BR WILD RICE RIVER Minnesota Fair 1948 78 1,336
STURGEON RIVER Minnesota Fair 1948 78 680
ELM CREEK Minnesota Fair 1948 78 2,076
LITTLE FORK RIVER Minnesota Fair 1948 78 556
STURGEON RIVER Minnesota Fair 1948 78 556
PLATTE RIVER Minnesota Fair 1948 78 11,389
MINNESOTA RIVER Minnesota Fair 1948 78 460
BUFFALO RIVER Minnesota Fair 1948 78 2,082
STREAM Minnesota Good 1948 78 796
LESTER RIVER Minnesota Fair 1948 78 730
S FK ROOT RIVER Minnesota Fair 1948 78 1,386
MARSH RIVER Minnesota Fair 1948 78 1,650
WEST FORK CEDAR RIVER Minnesota Fair 1948 78 1,550

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.