Historic Bridges in North Dakota

685 bridges built before 1951 in North Dakota still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 685 bridges in North 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
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1920 106 20
ANTELOPE CREEK North Dakota Poor 1920 106 20
SOUTH BRANCH GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1920 106 20
NORTH BRANCH GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1920 106 20
MILLER DRAIN NO. 29 North Dakota Poor 1920 106 20
INTERMITTENT STREAM North Dakota Poor 1920 106 20
BUFFALO COULEE North Dakota Fair 1920 106 20
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1920 106 5
PARK RIVER North Dakota Fair 1920 106 18
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1920 106 24
LITTLE MUDDY RIVER North Dakota Fair 1920 106 20
LITTLE MUDDY RIVER North Dakota Poor 1920 106 24
LITTLE MUDDY RIVER North Dakota Fair 1920 106 100
LITTLE MUDDY RIVER North Dakota Poor 1920 106 20
STONY CREEK North Dakota Poor 1920 106 24
STOCKYARD CREEK North Dakota Poor 1920 106 24
SPRING COULEE North Dakota Fair 1921 105 5
MOUSE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1921 105 100
TONGUE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1921 105 24
MIDDLE BRANCH PARK RIVER North Dakota Poor 1921 105 26
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1921 105 10
E FORK LITTLE MUDDY CRK North Dakota Poor 1921 105 24
CEDAR CREEK North Dakota Fair 1922 104 20
SWEET BRIAR CREEK North Dakota Poor 1922 104 20
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1922 104 20
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1923 103 20
FOREST RIVER North Dakota Poor 1923 103 26
PARK RIVER North Dakota Poor 1923 103 18
BURLINGTON NORTHERN RR North Dakota Fair 1924 102 24
BN RAILROAD North Dakota Poor 1924 102 24
BRANCH OF KNIFE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1924 102
ANTELOPE CREEK North Dakota Fair 1924 102 20
COUNTY DRAIN North Dakota Poor 1924 102 20
PARK RIVER North Dakota Fair 1924 102 20
BEAVER CREEK North Dakota Poor 1924 102 24
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1924 102 3,200
CEDAR CREEK North Dakota Poor 1925 101 1
JAMES RIVER North Dakota Poor 1925 101 5
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1925 101 10
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1925 101 19
FOREST RIVER North Dakota Poor 1925 101 19
PAINTED WOODS CREEK North Dakota Fair 1925 101 24
LITTLE MUDDY RIVER North Dakota Poor 1925 101 24
LITTLE MUDDY RIVER North Dakota Fair 1925 101 20
PARK RIVER North Dakota Poor 1925 101 20
SOUTH MARIAS RIVER North Dakota Poor 1926 100 24
MORIAS RIVER North Dakota Poor 1926 100 40
SOUTH MARIAS RIVER North Dakota Fair 1926 100 2
CUT BANK CREEK North Dakota Poor 1926 100 25
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1926 100 20

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.