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 1926 100 10
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1926 100 20
HEART RIVER North Dakota Poor 1927 99 20
CART CREEK North Dakota Poor 1927 99 120
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1927 99 25
HEART RIVER North Dakota Fair 1927 99 1,076
BEAVER CREEK North Dakota Fair 1927 99 10
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1927 99 5
BOUNDRY CREEK North Dakota Poor 1928 98 5
CP RAILWAY North Dakota Fair 1928 98 25
SOURIS RIVER North Dakota Fair 1928 98 35
DRAINAGE DITCH North Dakota Poor 1928 98 20
HEART RIVER North Dakota Poor 1928 98 10
PARK RIVER North Dakota Poor 1928 98 24
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1928 98 360
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1928 98 300
WEST BRANCH SHORT CREEK North Dakota Poor 1929 97 5
PEMBINA RIVER North Dakota Fair 1929 97 470
RED RIVER OF THE NORTH North Dakota Fair 1929 97 12,600
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1929 97 810
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1929 97 1,200
BOIS DE SIOUX RIVER North Dakota Fair 1929 97 15,200
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1929 97 310
CEDAR CREEK North Dakota Poor 1930 96 5
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1930 96 20
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1930 96 25
WILLOW CREEK North Dakota Fair 1930 96 25
BEAR CREEK North Dakota Fair 1930 96 10
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1930 96 10
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1930 96 405
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1930 96 10
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1930 96 24
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1930 96 10
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1930 96 10
WILLOW CREEK North Dakota Good 1930 96 25
HEART RIVER North Dakota Poor 1930 96 225
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1930 96 10
GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1930 96 20
NORTH BRANCH GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1930 96 20
NORTH BRANCH GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1930 96 30
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1930 96 10
MURRAY DRAIN NO. 17 North Dakota Fair 1930 96 5
DITCH North Dakota Fair 1930 96 20
BUFFALO COULEE North Dakota Fair 1930 96 20
DITCH North Dakota Fair 1930 96 20
ELM RIVER North Dakota Poor 1930 96 10
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1930 96 5
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1930 96 5
PARK RIVER North Dakota Poor 1930 96 24
PARK RIVER North Dakota Fair 1930 96 27

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.