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
SUGAR CREEK Illinois Fair 1948 78 1,150
ROCKCASTLE CREEK Illinois Fair 1948 78 1,450
CALFKILLER CREEK Illinois Fair 1948 78 225
N CHANNEL ROCK RIVER Illinois Fair 1948 78 10,000
C CHANNEL ROCK RIVER Illinois Fair 1948 78 10,000
S CHANNEL ROCK RIVER Illinois Fair 1948 78 10,000
RICHLAND CREEK Illinois Fair 1948 78 3,600
RICHLAND CREEK Illinois Good 1948 78 875
RICHLAND CREEK Illinois Fair 1948 78 850
RICHLAND CREEK Illinois Good 1948 78 6,100
TRIB-BATTLEFORD CR Illinois Good 1948 78 1,600
BRUSH CREEK Illinois Fair 1948 78 675
MUD RUN Illinois Good 1948 78 275
ILLINOIS RIVER & T&P RR Illinois Poor 1948 78 30,000
STREAM Illinois Fair 1948 78 600
STREAM Illinois Fair 1948 78 10
LITTLE LICK CREEK Illinois Poor 1948 78 2,800
STREAM Illinois Fair 1948 78 1,550
STREAM Illinois Fair 1948 78 1,550
LITTLE VERMILION RIV Illinois Good 1948 78 1,550
ELLISON CR Illinois Good 1948 78 100
SKILLET FORK CR Illinois Fair 1948 78 900
ELM RIVER Illinois Poor 1948 78 800
N BR ROCK RIVER Illinois Fair 1948 78 7,700
S BR ROCK RIVER Illinois Fair 1948 78 7,700
ROCK RIVER Illinois Fair 1948 78 6,000
UNNAMED CREEK Illinois Fair 1948 78 1,400
SUMNER CREEK Illinois Fair 1948 78 125
SUMNER CREEK Illinois Fair 1948 78 125
PANTHER CREEK Illinois Fair 1948 78 4,050
WELLS FORK Illinois Fair 1949 77 450
W. BUREAU CR. Illinois Poor 1949 77 125
HICKORY CREEK Illinois Good 1949 77 200
BNSF RR Illinois Fair 1949 77 1,550
OAK BRANCH Illinois Poor 1949 77 50
DITCH Illinois Poor 1949 77 150
SUGAR CREEK Illinois Fair 1949 77 50
SKOKIE RIVER Illinois Fair 1949 77 118,200
GOLF RD Illinois Fair 1949 77 125,400
FOREST GLEN AVE Illinois Fair 1949 77 142,400
N BR CHICAGO RIVER Illinois Fair 1949 77 142,400
RR - IHB Illinois Fair 1949 77 178,600
LITTLE CAL RIVER Illinois Poor 1949 77 89,300
LITTLE CAL RIVER Illinois Poor 1949 77 89,300
RR - IHB & CSXT Illinois Poor 1949 77 178,600
DOLTON AVE Illinois Fair 1949 77 166,200
I- 94 EDENS Illinois Poor 1949 77 7,300
I- 94 US41 EDENS Illinois Fair 1949 77 28,400
I- 94 US41 EDENS Illinois Fair 1949 77 5,100
I- 94 EDENS Illinois Poor 1949 77 13,000

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.