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.
| 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.