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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIRCH RUN CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1920 | 106 | 2,219 |
| BIG POTATO CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1920 | 106 | 79 |
| BIG POTATO CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1920 | 106 | 28 |
| PICKERAL CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1920 | 106 | 51 |
| COLE DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1920 | 106 | 116 |
| BLACK CREEK DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1920 | 106 | 170 |
| S. BR. PINE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1920 | 106 | 122 |
| UNNAMED CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1920 | 106 | 475 |
| HORSESHOE LAKE OUTLET | Michigan | Poor | 1920 | 106 | 5,803 |
| BIG FEATHER DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1921 | 105 | 1,555 |
| BATTLE CREEK RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1921 | 105 | 7,067 |
| SEBEWA CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1921 | 105 | 72 |
| TAFT DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1921 | 105 | 1,520 |
| MOORE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1921 | 105 | 1,500 |
| DEER CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1921 | 105 | 100 |
| FORTUNE CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1921 | 105 | 130 |
| CANAL(OFF AUGUSTA CREEK) | Michigan | Poor | 1921 | 105 | 174 |
| HOWELL-OSCEOLA DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1921 | 105 | 420 |
| UNNAMED CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1921 | 105 | 188 |
| HURON RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1921 | 105 | 16,342 |
| HURON RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1921 | 105 | 16,342 |
| MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1921 | 105 | 9,257 |
| NOTTAWA CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 178 |
| STONY CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1922 | 104 | 97 |
| STONY CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1922 | 104 | 183 |
| FULLER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 97 |
| BR OF BATTLE CREEK RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1922 | 104 | 1,307 |
| FLINT RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 10,895 |
| BLACK RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1922 | 104 | 391 |
| COOKS RUN RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1922 | 104 | 119 |
| ROGUE RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1922 | 104 | 8,792 |
| GRAND RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 17,945 |
| RUM CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 4,600 |
| PERE MARQUETTE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 4,771 |
| STONER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 600 |
| MIDDLE BR RED CEDAR RIV | Michigan | Poor | 1922 | 104 | 200 |
| LITTLE SWAN CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1922 | 104 | 10,923 |
| SWAN CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 10,923 |
| DORRANCE CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 220 |
| MARINE CITY DREDGE CUT | Michigan | Good | 1922 | 104 | 2,800 |
| EVES DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1922 | 104 | 980 |
| JACKSON DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 987 |
| HURON RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 7,481 |
| MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 11,274 |
| MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1922 | 104 | 8,758 |
| MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1922 | 104 | 8,758 |
| MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 15,628 |
| TARABUSI DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 29,240 |
| BLAKELY DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1922 | 104 | 6,668 |
| ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1922 | 104 | 10,938 |
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.