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
CREEK Iowa Fair 1932 94 50
CREEK Iowa Poor 1932 94 15
CREEK Iowa Fair 1932 94 5
CREEK Iowa Good 1932 94 15
CREEK Iowa Fair 1932 94 903
SMALL CREEK Iowa Fair 1932 94 15
UNNAMED CR Iowa Fair 1932 94 913
BEAVER CREEK BRANCH Iowa Poor 1932 94 265
LITTLE ELK CREEK Iowa Poor 1932 94 25
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1932 94 42
CLANTON CREEK Iowa Poor 1932 94 477
OVERFLOW CLANTON CREEK Iowa Poor 1932 94 450
MIDDLE RIVER Iowa Poor 1932 94 450
SOUTH TIMBER CREEK Iowa Poor 1932 94 11
ENGELS CREEK Iowa Fair 1932 94 21
STREAM Iowa Fair 1932 94 21
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Fair 1932 94 139
STREAM Iowa Fair 1932 94 15
WHEELER CREEK Iowa Fair 1932 94 15
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1932 94 30
STREAM Iowa Poor 1932 94 11
WILDCAT GLEN Iowa Fair 1933 93 253
SOAP CREEK Iowa Fair 1933 93 660
KEMP CREEK Iowa Fair 1933 93 368
WILLOW CREEK Iowa Fair 1933 93 6,850
JOHNSON CREEK Iowa Poor 1933 93 2,628
SUGAR CREEK Iowa Poor 1933 93 2,628
DES MOINES RIVER Iowa Fair 1933 93 22,400
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Fair 1933 93 1,320
FLOYD RIVER Iowa Fair 1933 93 1,807
IOWA RIVER Iowa Fair 1933 93 3,210
BOONE RIVER Iowa Fair 1933 93 3,180
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Fair 1933 93 3,100
CREEK Iowa Fair 1933 93 15
CREEK Iowa Fair 1933 93 11
CREEK Iowa Poor 1933 93 21
RACCOON RIVER Iowa Poor 1933 93 34
WINNEBAGO RIVER Iowa Fair 1933 93 69
ROBERTS CREEK Iowa Fair 1933 93 25
SCHOOL CREEK Iowa Poor 1933 93 50
SUGAR CREEK Iowa Poor 1933 93 45
ELK CREEK Iowa Fair 1933 93 50
WARREN GROVE CREEK Iowa Fair 1933 93 21
LITTLE WHITEBREAST CREEK Iowa Poor 1933 93 11
WATERMAN CREEK Iowa Fair 1933 93 26
OCHEYEDAN RIVER Iowa Fair 1933 93 30
FLOYD RIVER OVERFLOW Iowa Fair 1933 93 26
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Fair 1933 93 139
SM STREAM Iowa Fair 1933 93 50
SM STREAM Iowa Good 1933 93 1,416

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.