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
SOUTH FORK IOWA RIVER Iowa Poor 1939 87 39
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1939 87 30
MUD CREEK Iowa Poor 1939 87 15
STREAM Iowa Poor 1939 87 60
STREAM Iowa Fair 1939 87 15
WAPSIPINICON RIVER Iowa Poor 1939 87 147
CARRUTHERS CREEK Iowa Poor 1939 87 26
BR OF ENGLISH CREEK Iowa Poor 1939 87 5
DRAINAGE Iowa Poor 1939 87 34
JIM CREEK Iowa Poor 1939 87 11
SOUTH TIMBER CREEK Iowa Poor 1939 87 16
SNIPE CREEK Iowa Poor 1939 87 21
BRANCH N SKUNK RIVER Iowa Poor 1939 87 10
LINN CREEK Iowa Fair 1939 87 21
CREEK Iowa Poor 1939 87 62
CREEK Iowa Poor 1939 87 34
W NODAWAY Iowa Poor 1939 87 300
MUD CREEK Iowa Poor 1939 87 50
SMALL UN-NAMED CREEK Iowa Fair 1939 87 50
MUD CREEK Iowa Fair 1939 87 50
MUD CREEK Iowa Fair 1939 87 50
MILL CREEK Iowa Fair 1939 87 41
FLOYD RIVER Iowa Fair 1939 87 26
STREAM Iowa Fair 1939 87 90
OCHEYEDAN RIVER Iowa Fair 1939 87 72
LITTLE OCHEYEDAN RIVER Iowa Fair 1939 87 30
CREEK Iowa Fair 1939 87 71
SNOW CREEK Iowa Fair 1939 87 21
STREAM Iowa Fair 1939 87 60
SAND CREEK Iowa Poor 1939 87 60
SMALL STREAM Iowa Fair 1939 87 34
DYE CREEK Iowa Poor 1939 87 15
SKUNK RIVER Iowa Fair 1939 87 139
WEST 102 RIVER Iowa Fair 1939 87 210
CREEK Iowa Fair 1939 87 59
SILVER CREEK Iowa Fair 1939 87 97
LITTLE CEDAR OVERFLOW Iowa Poor 1939 87 26
AURELIA CREEK Iowa Poor 1939 87 841
STREAM Iowa Good 1939 87 1,780
STREAM Iowa Good 1939 87 1,780
MIDDLE RIVER Iowa Poor 1940 86 120
MIDDLE RIVER Iowa Poor 1940 86 120
OVER UP RR Iowa Poor 1940 86 1,210
RIO GRANDE CREEK Iowa Poor 1940 86 232
DRAINAGE Iowa Poor 1940 86 349
ROCK RUN Iowa Fair 1940 86 424
DRAINAGE Iowa Poor 1940 86 232
E BLUE CREEK Iowa Fair 1940 86 2,350
CEDAR RIVER OVERFLOW Iowa Fair 1940 86 3,810
WAPSIPINICON RIVER Iowa Fair 1940 86 1,960

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.