Historic Bridges in North Dakota

685 bridges built before 1951 in North Dakota still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 685 bridges in North Dakota 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
JAMES RIVER North Dakota Poor 1915 111 5
NORTH CREEK North Dakota Poor 1916 110 10
BRANCH OF KNIFE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1916 110 200
BIG MUDDY CREEK North Dakota Fair 1916 110 20
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1916 110 10
PARK RIVER North Dakota Poor 1916 110 10
PEMBINA RIVER North Dakota Fair 1917 109 5
KNIFE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1917 109 5
TONGUE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1917 109 25
TONGUE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1917 109 2
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1917 109 20
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1917 109 20
MIDDLE BRANCH PARK RIVER North Dakota Poor 1917 109 5
BNSF RAILROAD UNDERPASS North Dakota Fair 1917 109 520
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1918 108 20
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1918 108 20
PARK RIVER North Dakota Poor 1918 108 10
MIDDLE BRANCH PARK RIVER North Dakota Poor 1918 108 20
PARK RIVER North Dakota Fair 1918 108 151
FOREST RIVER North Dakota Poor 1918 108 18
BUFFALO CREEK North Dakota Poor 1919 107 10
PEMBINA RIVER North Dakota Poor 1919 107 15
PEMBINA RIVER North Dakota Good 1919 107 20
DRAINAGE DITCH North Dakota Fair 1919 107 30
DRAINAGE DITCH North Dakota Fair 1919 107 2
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1919 107 10
TURTLE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1919 107 10
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1919 107 35
DRAINAGE AREA North Dakota Fair 1919 107 5
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1919 107 20
CHANTA PETA CREEK North Dakota Poor 1919 107 20
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1919 107 10
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1919 107 70
SE BR LITTLE HEART RIVER North Dakota Poor 1919 107 24
N BRANCH CANTAPETA CREEK North Dakota Fair 1919 107 10
BRADY CREEK North Dakota Fair 1919 107 15
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1919 107 37
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1919 107 20
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1919 107 20
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1919 107 20
NORTH MAYVILLE DRAIN #8 North Dakota Fair 1919 107 10
ENGLISH COULEE DRAIN North Dakota Poor 1919 107 1
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1920 106 5
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1920 106 10
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1920 106 24
MAPLE CREEK North Dakota Poor 1920 106 10
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1920 106 20
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1920 106 24
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1920 106 10
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1920 106 20

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.