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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E N HINES DRIVE | Michigan | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 27,486 |
| THOROFARE CANAL | Michigan | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 971 |
| UPPER ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 500 |
| CANOE STREAM | Michigan | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 1,157 |
| CANOE STREAM | Michigan | Good | 1947 | 79 | 469 |
| LOWER RIVER ROUGE | Michigan | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 1,450 |
| SALMON - TROUT RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 137 |
| ROXBURY CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 30 |
| NAOMIKONG CR | Michigan | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 30 |
| LWR S BR THUNDER BAY RIV | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,650 |
| THORNAPPLE RACEWAY | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 333 |
| TEBO DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 75 |
| CONSTANT DURUSSEL DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 121 |
| KALAMAZOO RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 2,991 |
| ANKODOSH CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 30 |
| MAPLE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 2,720 |
| BIG CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 261 |
| BARK RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 3,418 |
| GRAND RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 7,600 |
| FLINT RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1948 | 78 | 6,830 |
| DUCK CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 2,467 |
| BLANCHARD DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 3,056 |
| E BR ST JOSEPH OF MAUMEE | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 718 |
| PROUTY DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 48 |
| MUD CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1948 | 78 | 2,140 |
| MUD CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,200 |
| GRAND RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 17,638 |
| DORRANCE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 282 |
| M-37 | Michigan | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 9,500 |
| MILL CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1948 | 78 | 16,670 |
| COLDWATER RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,024 |
| DUCK CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1948 | 78 | 1,024 |
| OWLS CREEK BURIED | Michigan | Good | 1948 | 78 | 849 |
| S BR FLINT RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 18,440 |
| HASLER CREEK DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 2,050 |
| S BR RAISIN RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 17,411 |
| W BR RED CEDAR RIVER DRN | Michigan | Good | 1948 | 78 | 190 |
| LITTLE TWO HEARTED RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 10 |
| CLINTON RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 29,299 |
| MITCHELL CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 14,351 |
| SALINE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 19,825 |
| NORTH MACON CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1948 | 78 | 1,330 |
| FLAT RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1948 | 78 | 11,727 |
| HURON RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 116,050 |
| KENT LAKE RD | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 99,450 |
| W BR RIFLE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 643 |
| LITTLE CRANBERRY RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,032 |
| CRANBERRY RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 2,117 |
| PETTYS BAYOU | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 4,445 |
| RAINY RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1948 | 78 | 1,000 |
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.