Historic Bridges in Iowa

3,036 bridges built before 1951 in Iowa still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 3,036 bridges in Iowa 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
BRANCH MAQUOKETA RIVER Iowa Fair 1931 95 1,690
BLACK HAWK CREEK Iowa Poor 1931 95 3,230
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Fair 1931 95 810
CC RR Iowa Fair 1931 95 3,353
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Fair 1931 95 180
SMALL NATURAL STREAM Iowa Fair 1931 95 600
MUD CREEK Iowa Fair 1931 95 1,570
SMALL NATURAL STREAM Iowa Fair 1931 95 2,300
PONY CREEK Iowa Good 1931 95 468
STREAM Iowa Fair 1931 95 7,600
OTTER CREEK Iowa Poor 1931 95 797
OTTER CREEK Iowa Fair 1931 95 797
LIME CREEK Iowa Fair 1931 95 1,970
DRY CREEK Iowa Fair 1931 95 3,750
CREEK Iowa Fair 1931 95 21
BR RACCOON RIVER Iowa Poor 1931 95 20
LAKE CK Iowa Poor 1931 95 60
CREEK Iowa Poor 1931 95 11
SIOUX RIVER Iowa Poor 1931 95 11
STREAM Iowa Fair 1931 95 39
SEWER CREEK Iowa Poor 1931 95 11
JIM CREEK Iowa Poor 1931 95 71
LITTLE CEDAR RIVER Iowa Poor 1931 95 226
OLD CHANNEL DES MOINES R Iowa Fair 1931 95 72
CYLINDER CREEK Iowa Fair 1931 95 11
STREAM Iowa Poor 1931 95 30
BIG CREEK TRIBUTARY Iowa Fair 1931 95 264
BOYER RIVER Iowa Poor 1931 95 15
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1931 95 20
SM STREAM Iowa Good 1931 95 20
SM STREAM Iowa Good 1931 95 61
CLEAR CREEK Iowa Fair 1931 95 40
DRAINAGE Iowa Fair 1931 95 1,090
MIDDLE BEAVER CREEK Iowa Good 1932 94 1,890
BEAVER DAM CREEK Iowa Fair 1932 94 2,230
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Fair 1932 94 700
PINE CREEK Iowa Fair 1932 94 760
OVER CC RR Iowa Poor 1932 94 578
IOWA RIVER Iowa Fair 1932 94 2,357
STREAM Iowa Fair 1932 94 780
INDIAN CREEK Iowa Fair 1932 94 5,650
RALSTON CREEK Iowa Fair 1932 94 13,500
RICHLAND CREEK Iowa Poor 1932 94 620
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1932 94 620
STREAM Iowa Good 1932 94 2,030
STREAM Iowa Fair 1932 94 3,200
JORDAN CREEK Iowa Fair 1932 94 1,180
FLOYD RIVER TRIBUTARY Iowa Fair 1932 94 3,200
GODDARD CREEK Iowa Fair 1932 94 2,250
EAGLE CREEK Iowa Fair 1932 94 3,450

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.