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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.