Historic Bridges in North Dakota

685 bridges built before 1951 in North Dakota still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 685 bridges in North Dakota 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
LITTLE MUDDY RIVER North Dakota Poor 1935 91 24
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1935 91 830
CEDAR CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 10
FLAT CREEK North Dakota Poor 1936 90 10
CREEK BED North Dakota Fair 1936 90 25
COULEE North Dakota Fair 1936 90 40
COLE CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 570
DOG TOOTH CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 10
SPRING CREEK North Dakota Poor 1936 90 10
DAYTON CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 20
WINTERING RIVER North Dakota Fair 1936 90 25
WINTERING RIVER North Dakota Poor 1936 90 24
MID. BR. DOUGLAS CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 10
DOUGLAS CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 100
HEART BUTTE CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 24
MUSKRAT CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 20
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 5
ANTELOPE CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 20
ANTELOPE CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 10
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 5
HEART RIVER North Dakota Poor 1936 90 5
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 24
SOUTH BRANCH GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1936 90 24
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 5
BRANCH ELM RIVER North Dakota Fair 1936 90 20
NELSON DRAIN NO. 28 North Dakota Poor 1936 90 10
IRRIGATION DITCH North Dakota Fair 1936 90 20
4TH AVE BNRR SOURIS R. North Dakota Poor 1936 90 9,000
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 2,700
CREEK North Dakota Good 1936 90 2,700
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1936 90 2,350
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1936 90 420
BUFFALO CREEK North Dakota Good 1936 90 775
BNRR SEP. North Dakota Poor 1936 90 450
COUNTY DRAIN 23 North Dakota Fair 1937 89 260
CUT BANK CREEK North Dakota Poor 1937 89 5
BANK CREEK North Dakota Fair 1937 89 5
WINTERING RIVER North Dakota Fair 1937 89 25
WILLOW CREEK North Dakota Poor 1937 89 5
BIG MUDDY CREEK North Dakota Fair 1937 89 100
MUSKRAT CREEK North Dakota Fair 1937 89 100
COULEE North Dakota Poor 1937 89 10
ANTELOPE CREEK North Dakota Fair 1937 89 20
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1937 89 34
NORTH BRANCH GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1937 89 20
NORTH BRANCH GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1937 89 20
ELM RIVER North Dakota Fair 1937 89 20
NORTH BRANCH ELM RIVER North Dakota Fair 1937 89 595
ELM RIVER North Dakota Fair 1937 89 310
ELM RIVER North Dakota Fair 1937 89 130

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.