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
OLIVE BRANCH Illinois Poor 1900 126 50
JORDAN CREEK Illinois Fair 1900 126 50
GLENBURN CREEK Illinois Fair 1900 126 50
GRAPE CREEK Illinois Poor 1900 126 75
JORDAN CREEK Illinois Fair 1900 126 75
JORDAN CREEK Illinois Fair 1900 126 50
GRAPE CREEK Illinois Fair 1900 126 50
STREAM Illinois Good 1900 126 375
STREAM Illinois Poor 1900 126 50
GIMLET BRANCH Illinois Good 1900 126 50
N FORK VERMILION RIV Illinois Fair 1900 126 150
GRAPE CREEK Illinois Poor 1900 126 100
STREAM Illinois Poor 1900 126 125
Cedar Creek Illinois Poor 1900 126 150
SLUG RUN Illinois Poor 1900 126 75
MID HEND CR Illinois Fair 1900 126 75
CEDAR CR Illinois Fair 1900 126 25
ELLISON CR Illinois Good 1900 126 25
CEDAR CR Illinois Poor 1900 126 20
OLD TOM CR Illinois Fair 1900 126 75
SUNNYLAND DRAIN Illinois Fair 1900 126 9,050
JACKSON BRANCH Illinois Fair 1900 126 20
GRANT CREEK CUTOFF Illinois Fair 1900 126 75
JACKSON CR Illinois Fair 1900 126 775
JACKSON CR Illinois Poor 1900 126 775
FORKED CREEK Illinois Fair 1900 126 50
UNION DRAINAGE DITCH Illinois Poor 1900 126 15,700
STREAM Illinois Poor 1900 126 250
SPRING CREEK Illinois Fair 1900 126 6,750
S.BR FORKED CR Illinois Fair 1900 126 175
ROCK CR Illinois Fair 1900 126 75
S. BR ROCK CREEK Illinois Good 1900 126 50
FORKED CR Illinois Fair 1900 126 1,900
STREAM Illinois Fair 1900 126 75
BANSTON CREEK Illinois Fair 1900 126 325
BNRR Illinois Good 1900 126 25
BRANCH OF SHOAL CR Illinois Fair 1901 125 25
BRANCH OF BEAVER CR Illinois Poor 1901 125 25
TRIB INDIAN CREEK Illinois Fair 1901 125 50
DORRIS CREEK Illinois Good 1901 125 50
CONRAIL RR Illinois Fair 1901 125 200
E. BUREAU CREEK Illinois Poor 1901 125 25
HOWELL HOLLOW CRK BR Illinois Good 1901 125 700
STREAM Illinois Fair 1901 125 200
WEST POINT CR Illinois Fair 1901 125 25
STREAM Illinois Fair 1901 125 25
TRIB W POINT CREEK Illinois Good 1901 125 25
BRANCH SUGAR CREEK Illinois Good 1901 125 250
SUGAR CREEK BRANCH Illinois Good 1901 125 10
PRAIRIE CREEK Illinois Fair 1901 125 25

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.