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
GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1885 141 20
TEPEE CREEK North Dakota Fair 1900 126 15
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1900 126 20
Creek North Dakota Fair 1901 125 10
Creek North Dakota Fair 1901 125 10
Creek North Dakota Fair 1901 125 5
JAMESTOWN RESERVOIR North Dakota Poor 1901 125 135
SOURIS RIVER North Dakota Poor 1902 124 25
MOUSE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1902 124 5
JAMES RIVER North Dakota Poor 1904 122 50
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1904 122 5
MOUSE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1906 120 25
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1907 119 5
TONGUE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1907 119 397
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1907 119 24
JAMES RIVER North Dakota Poor 1908 118 18
MOUSE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1909 117 25
PARK RIVER North Dakota Poor 1909 117 30
JAMES RIVER North Dakota Fair 1910 116 85
JAMES RIVER North Dakota Fair 1910 116 20
JAMES RIVER North Dakota Poor 1910 116 50
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1910 116 5
HEART RIVER North Dakota Fair 1910 116 50
TURTLE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1910 116 5
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1912 114 15
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1912 114 24
CANNONBALL RIVER North Dakota Poor 1912 114 50
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1912 114 20
GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1912 114 20
FOREST RIVER North Dakota Poor 1912 114 10
TURTLE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1913 113 40
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1913 113 5
BEAVER CREEK North Dakota Poor 1913 113 10
CREEK North Dakota Poor 1913 113 5
APPLE CREEK North Dakota Fair 1914 112 2,900
S BRANCH BEAVER CREEK North Dakota Fair 1914 112 24
WILD RICE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1914 112 20
PIPESTEM CREEK North Dakota Poor 1914 112 1
PARK RIVER North Dakota Fair 1914 112 15
PARK RIVER North Dakota Poor 1914 112 5
LITTLE MUDDY RIVER North Dakota Poor 1914 112 20
CHANTA PETA CREEK North Dakota Poor 1915 111 10
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1915 111 24
SHEYENNE RIVER North Dakota Poor 1915 111 24
GOOSE RIVER North Dakota Fair 1915 111 24
JAMES RIVER North Dakota Poor 1915 111 25
PARK RIVER North Dakota Fair 1915 111 27
PARK RIVER North Dakota Poor 1915 111 10
CREEK North Dakota Fair 1915 111 24
FOREST RIVER North Dakota Poor 1915 111 26

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.