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
RACCOON RIVER Iowa Fair 1937 89 50
STREAM Iowa Fair 1937 89 51
STREAM Iowa Fair 1937 89 11
CRANE CREEK Iowa Poor 1937 89 20
DD Iowa Fair 1937 89 15
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1937 89 91
CHERRY CREEK Iowa Poor 1937 89 30
ALLOWAY CREEK Iowa Poor 1937 89 16
SMALL CREEK Iowa Fair 1937 89 78
BR OF CEDAR CREEK Iowa Poor 1937 89 16
BNSF RR Iowa Poor 1937 89 1,090
NORTH CLANTON CREEK Iowa Poor 1937 89 60
LUTES CREEK Iowa Poor 1937 89 82
SWEETLAND CREEK Iowa Fair 1937 89 80
HARVEY DITCH Iowa Fair 1937 89 45
BIG SLOUGH CREEK Iowa Poor 1937 89 45
WATERMAN CREEK Iowa Fair 1937 89 1,057
SO BR LITTLE FLOYD RIVER Iowa Fair 1937 89 30
FRINK CREEK Iowa Poor 1937 89 246
TURKEY CREEK Iowa Fair 1937 89 71
SMALL STREAM Iowa Good 1937 89 20
SIXMILE CREEK Iowa Good 1937 89 71
SM STREAM Iowa Good 1937 89 34
OLD SKUNK RIVER CHANNEL Iowa Fair 1937 89 80
EAST BRANCH SALT CREEK Iowa Poor 1937 89 33
NORTH COON CREEK Iowa Fair 1937 89 88
CREEK Iowa Fair 1937 89 5
UPPER IOWA RIVER Iowa Poor 1937 89 324
INDIAN CREEK Iowa Poor 1937 89 126
INDIAN CREEK Iowa Fair 1937 89 2,027
INDIAN CREEK Iowa Poor 1937 89 2,027
INDIAN CREEK Iowa Fair 1937 89 70
INDIAN CREEK Iowa Poor 1937 89 2,027
INDIAN CREEK Iowa Fair 1937 89 2,224
INDIAN CREEK Iowa Fair 1937 89 3,184
INDIAN CREEK Iowa Fair 1937 89 6,500
SMALL STREAM Iowa Fair 1937 89 878
STREAM Iowa Poor 1937 89 1,190
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Good 1937 89 1,020
CEDAR RIVER Iowa Poor 1938 88 9,382
DRY CREEK Iowa Fair 1938 88 185
WINNEBAGO RIVER Iowa Fair 1938 88 9,091
DOLBEE CREEK Iowa Good 1938 88 900
HAWKEYE CREEK Iowa Poor 1938 88 770
WEST OTTER CREEK Iowa Fair 1938 88 1,127
RICHLAND CREEK Iowa Fair 1938 88 1,190
INDIAN CREEK Iowa Poor 1938 88 1,180
WALNUT CREEK Iowa Fair 1938 88 1,180
STREAM Iowa Fair 1938 88 1,730
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1938 88 417

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.