Historic Bridges in Illinois

3,065 bridges built before 1951 in Illinois still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 3,065 bridges in Illinois 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
CANY CREEK Illinois Fair 1942 84 -
STREAM Illinois Fair 1942 84 1,500
STREAM Illinois Fair 1942 84 10
NEWTON BRANCH Illinois Fair 1942 84 650
JACKSON CREEK Illinois Good 1942 84 15,800
JACKSON CREEK Illinois Good 1942 84 15,800
PRAIRIE CREEK Illinois Fair 1942 84 5,250
PRAIRIE CREEK Illinois Fair 1942 84 600
LITTLE WOLF CREEK Illinois Good 1942 84 2,100
WOLF CREEK Illinois Good 1942 84 1,000
GRASSY CREEK Illinois Good 1942 84 1,950
CONRAIL RR Illinois Fair 1943 83 800
PLOW HOLLOW CREEK Illinois Fair 1943 83 550
STREAM Illinois Fair 1943 83 825
RR - METRA Illinois Fair 1943 83 6,650
CSXT RR Illinois Fair 1943 83 1,250
LICK CREEK Illinois Fair 1943 83 1,400
HURRICANE CREEK Illinois Fair 1943 83 1,400
HURRICANE CK BRANCH Illinois Fair 1943 83 1,400
HURRICANE CREEK Illinois Fair 1943 83 1,400
ICGRR Illinois Good 1943 83 725
MISS RIVER HWY RR Illinois Fair 1943 83 17,300
CLEAR CREEK Illinois Fair 1943 83 1,400
KILLJORDAN CREEK Illinois Fair 1943 83 150
SHOP CREEK Illinois Fair 1943 83 26,800
Creek Illinois Fair 1943 83 500
RHEINHARDT SLOUGH Illinois Fair 1943 83 250
CREEK Illinois Fair 1943 83 175
BRANCH CEDAR CREEK Illinois Poor 1943 83 375
STREAM Illinois Poor 1943 83 35
FORKED CREEK Illinois Good 1943 83 350
CLEAR CREEK DITCH Illinois Fair 1944 82 25
RR - BRC Illinois Fair 1944 82 31,000
FIVE MILE CREEK Illinois Fair 1944 82 50
WOLF CREEK Illinois Fair 1944 82 33,125
SUGAR CREEK Illinois Fair 1944 82 2,050
CROW CREEK Illinois Fair 1944 82 3,050
LAKE FORK Illinois Fair 1944 82 550
HICKS HOLLOW CR Illinois Fair 1944 82 125
LAKE FORK DRAIN DIT Illinois Fair 1944 82 25
BEAN CREEK Illinois Fair 1944 82 50
KANKAKEE RIVER MILL RACE Illinois Fair 1944 82 10,650
HACKEY CREEK Illinois Poor 1945 81 1,550
NO NAME CRK Illinois Fair 1945 81 75
STREAM Illinois Fair 1945 81 1,000
BUCKHART CREEK Illinois Fair 1945 81 25
DRAINAGE DITCH Illinois Fair 1945 81 29,800
KERTON CREEK Illinois Fair 1945 81 25
BNSF RR Illinois Fair 1945 81 75
CC&P RR Illinois Poor 1945 81 425

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.