Historic Bridges in Michigan
1,528 bridges built before 1951 in Michigan still in service today.
Bridges Built Before 1951
The United States has 1,528 bridges in Michigan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECORSE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1943 | 83 | 47,664 |
| ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1943 | 83 | 49,253 |
| ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1943 | 83 | 49,253 |
| NORTH BRANCH ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1943 | 83 | 5,000 |
| J TO H SPILLWAY | Michigan | Good | 1943 | 83 | 50 |
| E BR PRESQUE ISLE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1944 | 82 | 2 |
| CAHAOGAN CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1944 | 82 | 610 |
| SANDSTONE CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1944 | 82 | 765 |
| MISTEGUAY CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1944 | 82 | 1,320 |
| CONRAIL SERVICE ROAD | Michigan | Fair | 1944 | 82 | 11,500 |
| MILL CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1944 | 82 | 139 |
| I-94 RAMP | Michigan | Fair | 1944 | 82 | 28,335 |
| FELLOWS CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1944 | 82 | 200 |
| CANADIAN NATIONAL RR | Michigan | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 1,848 |
| PINCONNING RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1945 | 81 | 75 |
| STURGEON RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 2,000 |
| E BR STURGEON RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1945 | 81 | 453 |
| E BR STURGEON RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1945 | 81 | 135 |
| APPIN I/C DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 150 |
| DOAN CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 164 |
| DOAN CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 330 |
| DOAN CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1945 | 81 | 230 |
| DEER CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1945 | 81 | 10 |
| WESTON DRAIN EXTENSION | Michigan | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 345 |
| MARKS CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 915 |
| HAYMARSH CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 330 |
| WEIGELS CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 2,117 |
| DREISS CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1945 | 81 | 2,117 |
| BERRY DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 200 |
| SOUTHGATE DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1945 | 81 | 77 |
| MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1945 | 81 | 400 |
| LITTLE THORNAPPLE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 5,470 |
| DIVERSION DITCH | Michigan | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 5,387 |
| LIME CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 3,056 |
| PINNEBOG RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1946 | 80 | 5,274 |
| WHISKEY CK(LT PLSTER CR) | Michigan | Good | 1946 | 80 | 29,172 |
| N ORE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 6,080 |
| CARP RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1946 | 80 | 100 |
| FLEMMING DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 1,507 |
| MARSAC CREEK DRAIN | Michigan | Good | 1946 | 80 | 14,000 |
| UNNAMED CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1946 | 80 | 11,741 |
| MELDRUM DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 8,050 |
| BEAUBIEN CREEK DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 8,050 |
| MT OLIVET CEMETERY DR | Michigan | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 21,584 |
| TONQUISH CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1946 | 80 | 18,579 |
| LOWER ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1946 | 80 | 2,100 |
| HICKEY CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 1,973 |
| PRAIRIE CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 1,973 |
| STAR CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 1,973 |
| LITTLE INDIAN RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1947 | 79 | 394 |
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.