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
WOLF CREEK Iowa Poor 1940 86 20
OTTER CREEK Iowa Fair 1940 86 49
BRANCH OTTER CREEK Iowa Poor 1940 86 25
DEER CREEK Iowa Fair 1940 86 44
INDIAN CREEK Iowa Poor 1940 86 49
EAST BRANCH SALT CREEK Iowa Poor 1940 86 35
SOUTH BRANCH SALT CREEK Iowa Fair 1940 86 49
BRANCH SALT CREEK Iowa Poor 1940 86 39
SOUTH BRANCH SALT CREEK Iowa Poor 1940 86 29
JORDAN CREEK Iowa Poor 1940 86 39
SALT CREEK Iowa Poor 1940 86 20
DEVILS RUN Iowa Poor 1940 86 70
DEER CREEK Iowa Fair 1940 86 11
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Fair 1940 86 79
HONEY CREEK Iowa Poor 1940 86 20
EAST 102 RIVER Iowa Poor 1940 86 26
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Poor 1940 86 26
EAST 102 RIVER Iowa Fair 1940 86 349
TODD BRANCH Iowa Poor 1940 86 29
CREEK Iowa Fair 1940 86 60
SMALL STREAM Iowa Fair 1940 86 11
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1940 86 26
STREAM Iowa Poor 1940 86 21
REEDS CR Iowa Fair 1940 86 51
STREAM Iowa Fair 1940 86 50
TURKEY CREEK Iowa Fair 1940 86 26
BOX ELDER CREEK Iowa Poor 1940 86 15
BRANCH SOUTH RIVER Iowa Fair 1940 86 29
S RIVER Iowa Poor 1940 86 71
BR.SOUTH RIVER Iowa Poor 1940 86 11
BR SOUTH RIVER Iowa Fair 1940 86 71
MIDDLE RIVER Iowa Poor 1940 86 103
CROOKED CREEK Iowa Fair 1940 86 1,720
STREAM Iowa Poor 1940 86 15
WOLF CREEK Iowa Poor 1940 86 30
STREAM Iowa Poor 1940 86 15
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Fair 1940 86 11
MILL CREEK Iowa Poor 1940 86 11
STREAM Iowa Poor 1940 86 5
SMALL Iowa Good 1940 86 2,930
DRAINAGE Iowa Fair 1940 86 45
PORTER CREEK Iowa Fair 1940 86 5
UNNAMED CREEK Iowa Fair 1940 86 -
LITTLE BLOOMER CREEK Iowa Fair 1940 86 460
STREAM Iowa Fair 1940 86 3,330
RAILROAD CREEK Iowa Fair 1941 85 565
ROBERTS CREEK Iowa Fair 1941 85 350
STREAM Iowa Fair 1941 85 790
STREAM Iowa Fair 1941 85 1,240
BR YELLOW RIVER Iowa Poor 1941 85 11

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.