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
CUT BANK CREEK North Dakota Poor 1939 87 457
WINTERING RIVER North Dakota Poor 1939 87 25
WINTERING RIVER North Dakota Poor 1939 87 25
COYOTE CREEK North Dakota Fair 1939 87 20
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1939 87 26
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1939 87 20
HEART RIVER North Dakota Fair 1939 87 160
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1939 87 15
SOUTH BRANCH GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1939 87 2
COULEE North Dakota Poor 1939 87 1
NORTH BRANCH GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1939 87 20
RED RIVER OF THE NORTH North Dakota Poor 1939 87 270
SAND CREEK North Dakota Poor 1939 87 25
RED RIVER OF THE NORTH North Dakota Fair 1939 87 320
JAMES RIVER North Dakota Fair 1939 87 5,600
LAKE METIGOSHE North Dakota Fair 1940 86 105
CASS COUNTY DRAIN 13 North Dakota Fair 1940 86 20
JAMES RIVER North Dakota Poor 1940 86 10
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1940 86 25
SPRING CREEK North Dakota Good 1940 86 25
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1940 86 85
NO. BRANCH TURTLE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1940 86 30
LITTLE GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1940 86 90
CEDER CREEK North Dakota Poor 1940 86 20
THIRTY MILE CREEK North Dakota Poor 1940 86 15
THIRTY MILE CREEK North Dakota Fair 1940 86 50
BEAVER CREEK North Dakota Poor 1940 86 5
CUT BANK CREEK North Dakota Poor 1940 86 25
BANK CREEK North Dakota Fair 1940 86 25
WINTERING RIVER North Dakota Poor 1940 86 25
WINTERING RIVER North Dakota Fair 1940 86 25
WINTERING RIVER North Dakota Poor 1940 86 5
MID. BR. DOUGLAS CREEK North Dakota Fair 1940 86 5
CREEK North Dakota Good 1940 86 5
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1940 86 35
BEAVER CREEK North Dakota Fair 1940 86 75
HAILSTONE CREEK North Dakota Poor 1940 86 20
MUSKRAT CREEK North Dakota Fair 1940 86 20
BIG MUDDY CREEK North Dakota Poor 1940 86 10
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1940 86 20
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1940 86 10
CREEK North Dakota Good 1940 86 230
DRAIN DITCH North Dakota Fair 1940 86 30
COULEE North Dakota Poor 1940 86 5
EDMORE COULEE North Dakota Fair 1940 86 20
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1940 86 20
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1940 86 190
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1940 86 10
CREEK North Dakota Good 1940 86 10
BEAVER CREEK North Dakota Poor 1940 86 15

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.