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
STREAM Minnesota Poor 1911 115 68
CHANNEL Minnesota Good 1911 115 4,802
CHANNEL TO CEDAR LK Minnesota Good 1911 115 6,000
ELM CREEK Minnesota Poor 1912 114 18
SPRING CREEK Minnesota Fair 1912 114 20
RAINY RIVER Minnesota Poor 1912 114 703
BUILDING Minnesota Fair 1912 114 21,500
AMITY CREEK Minnesota Fair 1912 114 77
AMITY CREEK Minnesota Fair 1912 114 72
AMITY CREEK Minnesota Fair 1912 114 130
AMITY CREEK Minnesota Fair 1912 114 72
GULL LAKE RES. Minnesota Fair 1913 113 450
ELM CREEK Minnesota Poor 1913 113 16
TCW RR Minnesota Poor 1913 113 736
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Fair 1913 113 1,688
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Fair 1913 113 1,680
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Fair 1913 113 1,074
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Poor 1913 113 3,300
CANNON RIVER Minnesota Fair 1914 112 5,850
WEST INDIAN CREEK Minnesota Fair 1914 112 12
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Poor 1914 112 8,600
DITCH Minnesota Poor 1914 112 24
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1914 112 30
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1914 112 21
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Poor 1914 112 1,249
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Fair 1914 112 986
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Poor 1914 112 5,200
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Poor 1914 112 5,213
BAY OF THUNDER LAKE Minnesota Fair 1915 111 44
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1915 111 38
S BR WILD RICE RIVER Minnesota Poor 1915 111 18
BASSETT CREEK Minnesota Fair 1915 111 8,226
BASSETT CREEK Minnesota Fair 1915 111 6,610
BASSETT CREEK Minnesota Fair 1915 111 3,969
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1915 111 90
LITTLE CANNON RIVER Minnesota Fair 1915 111 70
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1915 111 6
KANARANZI CREEK Minnesota Poor 1915 111 1
S BR S FK ROOT RIVER Minnesota Fair 1915 111 64
LAC QUI PARLE RIVER Minnesota Poor 1915 111 5
FLORIDA CREEK Minnesota Poor 1915 111 5
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Fair 1915 111 786
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Fair 1915 111 1,020
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Poor 1915 111 3,772
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Poor 1915 111 1,609
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Poor 1915 111 1,544
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Poor 1915 111 1,020
MIDTOWN GREENWAY Minnesota Fair 1915 111 1,102
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1916 110 23
N CHANNEL MISS RIVER Minnesota Fair 1916 110 40

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.