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.

Clear
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.