Historic Bridges in South Dakota

1,118 bridges built before 1951 in South Dakota still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 1,118 bridges in South 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
DOLPH CK South Dakota Fair 1949 77 1,233
LAKE NORDEN OUTLET South Dakota Fair 1949 77 1,862
CHAPELLE CK South Dakota Poor 1949 77 691
EAST ELM CK South Dakota Poor 1949 77 33
CK South Dakota Fair 1949 77 4,206
CK South Dakota Fair 1949 77 4,068
WILLOW CK South Dakota Fair 1949 77 4,768
CK South Dakota Fair 1949 77 4,768
BIG SIOUX RIVER South Dakota Fair 1949 77 11,300
BEAVER CREEK South Dakota Fair 1949 77 300
BEAVER CREEK South Dakota Fair 1949 77 195
PLATTE CK South Dakota Fair 1950 76 170
SNOW CK South Dakota Good 1950 76 798
LAKE CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 40
TRIB. TO DRY CHOTEAU CRK South Dakota Fair 1950 76 60
SNATCH CREEK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 60
SNATCH CREEK South Dakota Fair 1950 76 67
CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 241
CK South Dakota Fair 1950 76 92
SIX MILE CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 92
SIX MILE CK South Dakota Fair 1950 76 714
DEER CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 712
CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 1,159
CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 89
CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 65
CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 65
CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 139
SPRING CREEK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 361
WILLOW CREEK South Dakota Fair 1950 76 66
CROW CREEK DITCH South Dakota Fair 1950 76 234
INDIAN CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 47
INDIAN CK South Dakota Fair 1950 76 47
HORSE CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 47
CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 47
WILLOW CK South Dakota Fair 1950 76 340
FRENCH CK South Dakota Fair 1950 76 5
FRENCH CK South Dakota Fair 1950 76 5
CENTER LAKE INLET South Dakota Poor 1950 76 1,000
GRACE COOLIDGE CREEK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 100
GRACE COOLIDGE CREEK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 100
CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 5
GRACE COOLIDGE CREEK South Dakota Fair 1950 76 5
FRENCH CK South Dakota Fair 1950 76 5
TRIB TWELVE MILE CK South Dakota Fair 1950 76 35
CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 25
MUD CREEK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 25
COBB CK South Dakota Poor 1950 76 45
W BR LAC QUI PARLE RIVER South Dakota Poor 1950 76 50
LITTLE MOREAU RV South Dakota Fair 1950 76 5
ANDES CK South Dakota Fair 1950 76 526

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.