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.

Clear
Bridge State Condition Year Built Age (Years) ADT
S BR LOOKINGGLASS RIVER Michigan Poor 1925 101 910
BEAR CREEK Michigan Poor 1925 101 1,026
PINE RIVER Michigan Fair 1925 101 1,410
PORTAGE RIVER Michigan Fair 1925 101 4,978
PAW PAW RIVER Michigan Fair 1925 101 5,684
MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER Michigan Fair 1925 101 25,314
BLAKELY DRAIN Michigan Poor 1925 101 8,469
BELL CREEK Michigan Poor 1925 101 18,173
WYOMING AVENUE Michigan Fair 1925 101 3,000
HORSE ISL & ADAMS DR BYU Michigan Poor 1925 101 350
UPPER ROUGE RIVER Michigan Poor 1925 101 2,370
S BR MACATAWA RIVER Michigan Poor 1926 100 36
PLATTE RIVER Michigan Fair 1926 100 11,984
E BR TAHQUEMENON RIVER Michigan Fair 1926 100 1,753
ALDER CREEK Michigan Fair 1926 100 143
FLINT RIVER Michigan Fair 1926 100 15,881
FLINT RIVER Michigan Fair 1926 100 9,126
BRENT RUN Michigan Poor 1926 100 2,595
BRENT CREEK Michigan Fair 1926 100 334
NEW RIVER Michigan Good 1926 100 610
RED CEDAR RIVER Michigan Fair 1926 100 16,395
LAKE CREEK Michigan Fair 1926 100 1,196
LITTLE SALT RIVER Michigan Fair 1926 100 1,430
NO NAME CREEK Michigan Fair 1926 100 4,776
S BRANCH RAISIN RIVER Michigan Fair 1926 100 1,380
PORTAGE RIVER Michigan Fair 1926 100 1,350
WEST BR RED CEDAR RIVER Michigan Fair 1926 100 71
EAST POND CREEK Michigan Poor 1926 100 6,560
PESHEKEE RIVER Michigan Fair 1926 100 200
PESHEKEE RIVER Michigan Fair 1926 100 190
SWAN CREEK Michigan Fair 1926 100 3,030
N BRANCH SWAN CREEK Michigan Fair 1926 100 2,730
NORTHWOOD DRAIN Michigan Poor 1926 100 67
STONYCREEK Michigan Poor 1926 100 146
TONQUISH CREEK Michigan Fair 1926 100 32,679
BLAKELY DRAIN Michigan Poor 1926 100 13,881
BUTTERNUT CREEK Michigan Poor 1926 100 366
GUN RIVER Michigan Good 1927 99 2,832
PLATTE RIVER Michigan Fair 1927 99 8,172
PAW PAW RIVER Michigan Fair 1927 99 4,620
STURGEON RIVER Michigan Fair 1927 99 10,873
E BR STURGEON RIVER Michigan Poor 1927 99 406
FORD RIVER Michigan Fair 1927 99 250
BUTTERNUT CREEK Michigan Fair 1927 99 3,115
KEARSLEY CREEK Michigan Fair 1927 99 5,531
GROESBECK CREEK Michigan Good 1927 99 977
TENDERFOOT CREEK Michigan Poor 1927 99 7
GROSBECK CREEK Michigan Poor 1927 99 7
CISCO BR ONTONAGON RIVER Michigan Poor 1927 99 48
MIDDLE BR ONTONAGON RIV Michigan Poor 1927 99 13

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.