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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAINT CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1924 | 102 | 25,367 |
| DOC & TOM CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1924 | 102 | 1,990 |
| COLE DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1924 | 102 | 39 |
| SMITHS CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1924 | 102 | 172 |
| NORTHWEST DRAIN OUTLET 1 | Michigan | Fair | 1924 | 102 | 80 |
| ANN ARBOR RR | Michigan | Fair | 1924 | 102 | 23,822 |
| PAINT CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1924 | 102 | 6,209 |
| PAINT CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1924 | 102 | 112 |
| HURON RIVER | Michigan | Good | 1924 | 102 | 21,710 |
| LOWER ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1924 | 102 | 23,978 |
| BLAKELY DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1924 | 102 | 10,048 |
| DEQUINDRE CUT GREENWAY | Michigan | Fair | 1924 | 102 | 13,709 |
| AUGRES RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 145 |
| PINCONNING RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 676 |
| KALAMAZOO RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 968 |
| ARMSTRONG DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 647 |
| BRENT RUN | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 364 |
| PINE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 610 |
| COLUMBIA DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,280 |
| ELM CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,270 |
| ROCK FALLS CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1925 | 101 | 1,030 |
| EAST BR PIGEON RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 31 |
| PINNEBOG RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 100 |
| STATE DRAIN I/C DRAIN | Michigan | Good | 1925 | 101 | 44 |
| KEMP I/C DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 315 |
| STATE DRAIN | Michigan | Good | 1925 | 101 | 134 |
| STATE DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 410 |
| PINE LAKE OUTLET DRAIN | Michigan | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 10 |
| DEER CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 490 |
| SO BRANCH RAISIN RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 600 |
| N BR KALAMAZOO RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 4,190 |
| WALTER CREEK DRAIN | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,664 |
| BALL CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 2,100 |
| BALL CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 2,100 |
| BALL CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 2,100 |
| RUM CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 900 |
| BEAR CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 1,791 |
| BOGUE CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 8,772 |
| CRAPEAU CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,310 |
| WERNERS CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 124 |
| HUBER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 124 |
| E BRANCH ESCANABA RIVER | Michigan | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 40 |
| DURHAM CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 8,600 |
| PERE MARQUETTE RIVER | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 7,076 |
| INDIAN CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 11,702 |
| CSX RR | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 18,282 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 100 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Michigan | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 50 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Michigan | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 100 |
| NORTH CREEK | Michigan | Good | 1925 | 101 | 934 |
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.