Scour Critical Bridges in Michigan
1,081 bridges in Michigan at risk from water erosion around foundations.
Scour Critical Bridges
Scour is the erosion of soil and rock around a bridge's foundation caused by moving water. When foundations are exposed or undermined, a bridge can collapse even if its deck and superstructure are in good condition. Scour is the leading cause of bridge failures in the US. These 1,081 bridges in Michigan have been identified as vulnerable to scour damage.
| Bridge | State | Scour Status | Condition | Year Built | ADT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E BR FOX RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1953 | 406 |
| HICKORY CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1977 | 400 |
| MIDDLE ROUGE RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1931 | 400 |
| HURON RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1989 | 400 |
| SANDSTONE CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1939 | 396 |
| MIDDLE BR ONTONAGON RIV | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1919 | 395 |
| LITTLE INDIAN RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1947 | 394 |
| PINNEBOG RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1959 | 390 |
| ALLEN EXTN DRAIN | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1965 | 390 |
| MONTREAL RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1928 | 388 |
| SOUTH BR HOG CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1963 | 380 |
| W GIBRALTAR WATERWAY | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1990 | 380 |
| MUDDY CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1927 | 380 |
| KEARSLEY CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1929 | 375 |
| EVANSBRANCHOFROUGE | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1987 | 370 |
| BUTTERNUT CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1926 | 366 |
| RIFLE RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1980 | 366 |
| BRENT RUN | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1925 | 364 |
| PINCONNING RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1990 | 361 |
| OTTER CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1964 | 360 |
| BIRD CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1951 | 353 |
| SHEBEON DRAIN | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1984 | 350 |
| BUTTERNUT CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1930 | 346 |
| STONY CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1967 | 346 |
| ALLEN EXTN DRAIN | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1979 | 345 |
| ALLEN EXTN DRAIN | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1979 | 345 |
| WESTON DRAIN EXTENSION | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1945 | 345 |
| BLACK RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1980 | 340 |
| SUCKER CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1935 | 335 |
| BRENT CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1926 | 334 |
| ALLEN EXTN DRAIN | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1979 | 330 |
| LITTLE BLACK RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1934 | 329 |
| KEARSLEY CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1930 | 328 |
| STURGEON RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1923 | 327 |
| INDIAN CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1979 | 323 |
| M BR BLACK RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1969 | 320 |
| SWAN CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1952 | 319 |
| KEARSLEY CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1934 | 315 |
| KEMP I/C DRAIN | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1925 | 315 |
| BLACK RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1998 | 312 |
| SWAN CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1987 | 311 |
| UNION AND STATE LINE DR | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1983 | 310 |
| WOLF CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1960 | 300 |
| SALT SLANG GLOEDE DRAIN | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1972 | 300 |
| MILL CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1950 | 300 |
| EAST BRANCH AUGRES RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1979 | 300 |
| NELSON CREEK | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1935 | 300 |
| GUN RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Fair | 1981 | 296 |
| LITTLE RIVER | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Poor | 1928 | 292 |
| MCCLELLAN RUN | Michigan | Scour Critical — Countermeasures Installed | Good | 1987 | 290 |
Scour Critical Rating Codes
| Code 2 — Unaddressed | Bridge is scour critical with no countermeasures installed. The foundation is vulnerable and no protective action has been taken. |
| Code 3 — Countermeasures Installed | Protective measures (riprap, sheet piling, etc.) have been installed to reduce scour risk, but the bridge remains classified as scour critical. |
| Code 6 — Countermeasures Ineffective | Protective measures were installed but have been assessed as ineffective. The bridge requires re-evaluation and additional action. |
About Scour Critical Bridges
Scour critical bridges have been identified through underwater inspection or analysis as having foundations that are unstable or could become unstable during flood conditions. FHWA requires action plans for all scour critical bridges. Famous scour failures include the 1987 Schoharie Creek Bridge collapse in New York.