Historic Bridges in Minnesota

1,035 bridges built before 1951 in Minnesota still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 1,035 bridges in Minnesota 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
ROBARTS CREEK Minnesota Good 1923 103 900
WABASHA CREEK Minnesota Fair 1923 103 750
SLEEPY EYE CREEK Minnesota Fair 1923 103 290
S FK WATONWAN RIVER Minnesota Fair 1923 103 85
HASTY BROOK Minnesota Fair 1923 103 1,700
STREAM Minnesota Poor 1923 103 475
YELLOW MEDICINE RIVER Minnesota Fair 1923 103 1,003
MINNEHAHA PKWY; CREEK Minnesota Poor 1923 103 10,700
BASSETT CREEK TUNNEL Minnesota Poor 1923 103 14,987
N FK WATONWAN RIVER Minnesota Fair 1923 103 570
BASSETT CREEK Minnesota Good 1923 103 1,690
BASSETT CREEK Minnesota Fair 1923 103 860
BASSETT CREEK Minnesota Fair 1923 103 675
MEADOW CREEK Minnesota Fair 1923 103 451
VERMILLION RIVER Minnesota Good 1923 103 6,034
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1923 103 55
KANARANZI CREEK Minnesota Good 1923 103 60
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1923 103 60
STREAM Minnesota Good 1923 103 49
STREAM Minnesota Good 1923 103 49
STREAM Minnesota Good 1923 103 37
STREAM Minnesota Good 1923 103 37
DITCH Minnesota Poor 1923 103 23
MINNEHAHA CREEK Minnesota Fair 1923 103 6,200
WATERVILLE CREEK Minnesota Fair 1924 102 2,416
WILLOW RIVER Minnesota Poor 1924 102 80
JD #66 (NELSON CREEK) Minnesota Fair 1924 102 2,950
SHAKOPEE CREEK Minnesota Poor 1924 102 1
PELICAN RIVER Minnesota Fair 1924 102 3,325
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1924 102 7,000
NORWEGIAN CREEK Minnesota Fair 1924 102 14
CARIBOU RIVER Minnesota Fair 1924 102 3,000
POKEGAMA CREEK Minnesota Fair 1924 102 4,123
DITCH Minnesota Fair 1924 102 710
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1924 102 1,100
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1924 102 8
ELM CREEK Minnesota Poor 1924 102 16
VALLEY CREEK Minnesota Poor 1924 102 268
W BR SUNRISE RIVER Minnesota Fair 1925 101 30
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1925 101 790
DITCH Minnesota Fair 1925 101 1,171
WHITE WATER CREEK Minnesota Fair 1925 101 260
BUTTERFIELD CREEK Minnesota Good 1925 101 600
WHITE WATER CREEK Minnesota Fair 1925 101 140
WHITE WATER CREEK Minnesota Fair 1925 101 530
MILL CREEK Minnesota Fair 1925 101 7,355
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1925 101 1,260
FISH TRAP CREEK Minnesota Fair 1925 101 400
HARDWOOD CREEK Minnesota Fair 1925 101 9,405
WEST ALBANY CREEK Minnesota Fair 1925 101 2,434

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.