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.
| 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.