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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OCQUEOC RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,750 |
| (NO NAME)CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,173 |
| DOE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 15,773 |
| BURTCH CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 8,420 |
| BELLE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 245 |
| DEERLICK CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 5,157 |
| BRANDYWINE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 6,722 |
| I-94 | Michigan | Good | 1948 | 78 | 14,880 |
| I-94 | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 28,335 |
| I-94 | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 11,760 |
| OLD M-14 (ANN ARBOR RD) | Michigan | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 15,000 |
| MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 14,193 |
| UPPER ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,000 |
| N BR ECORSE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 450 |
| N BR ECORSE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 600 |
| N BR ECORSE RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1948 | 78 | 10,422 |
| PINE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,904 |
| STURGEON RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 10 |
| ANNA RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 7,171 |
| WEST BRANCH CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1949 | 77 | 191 |
| M BR BLACK RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 1,133 |
| COLDWATER RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 889 |
| BIG MEADOW DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 8,157 |
| ST JOSEPH RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 11,015 |
| OX CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 6,000 |
| DOWAGIAC CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 8,127 |
| PINE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 15,321 |
| DEER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 2,665 |
| W BR STURGEON RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1949 | 77 | 520 |
| BIG MUNUSCONG RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 2,861 |
| SPAULDING DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 5,643 |
| ALDER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 7,103 |
| MUD CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 3,660 |
| SEBEWA DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 4,192 |
| BOARDMAN RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1949 | 77 | 117 |
| PINE RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1949 | 77 | 915 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 865 |
| ST JOSEPH RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 1,900 |
| JUMBO CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 2,303 |
| SEBEWAING RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 5,123 |
| SHEBEON DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 2,000 |
| DEER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 1,500 |
| PRAIRIE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 589 |
| GULL CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 5,044 |
| PORTAGE CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1949 | 77 | 3,672 |
| S BRANCH RIVER RAISIN | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 3,800 |
| BEAN CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 3,500 |
| N BRANCH CARP RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 70 |
| HARRINGTON DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 13,860 |
| BLACK CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1949 | 77 | 31,322 |
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.