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
GRANT 5 OPEN DITCH Iowa Fair 1941 85 50
IOWA RIVER Iowa Fair 1941 85 59
BRANCH OF RICHLAND CREEK Iowa Poor 1941 85 29
PAINT CREEK Iowa Fair 1941 85 98
WHITE FOX CREEK Iowa Poor 1941 85 11
STREAM Iowa Fair 1941 85 1,690
BEAVER CREEK Iowa Fair 1942 84 780
LAPWORTH CREEK Iowa Fair 1942 84 2,759
US 67 MISSISSIPPI RIVER Iowa Fair 1942 84 7,600
BLACK HAWK CREEK Iowa Fair 1942 84 982
OTTER CREEK Iowa Fair 1942 84 34
JOLES CREEK Iowa Fair 1942 84 412
MOSQUITO CREEK Iowa Poor 1942 84 72
RACCOON RIVER Iowa Fair 1942 84 29
CREEK Iowa Poor 1942 84 255
BEAVER CREEK Iowa Fair 1942 84 44
ALLEN CREEK Iowa Poor 1942 84 139
CRANE CREEK Iowa Fair 1942 84 82
DEER CREEK Iowa Fair 1942 84 40
CROOKED CR Iowa Poor 1942 84 70
BR TO MIDDLE Iowa Poor 1942 84 50
SMALL Iowa Fair 1942 84 50
SOUTH TIMBER CREEK Iowa Poor 1942 84 88
TIMBER CREEK Iowa Fair 1942 84 91
ROCK CR Iowa Poor 1942 84 62
BR LINN CR Iowa Poor 1942 84 30
STREAM Iowa Poor 1942 84 80
NISHNABOTNA Iowa Poor 1942 84 60
DRAINAGE Iowa Poor 1942 84 20
CREEK Iowa Poor 1942 84 21
OCHEYEDAN RIVER Iowa Fair 1942 84 11
DRY RUN Iowa Good 1942 84 100
WEST NODAWAY RIVER Iowa Good 1942 84 499
BIG CEDAR CREEK Iowa Fair 1942 84 20
STREAM Iowa Fair 1942 84 5
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1942 84 10
W BRANCH FLOYD RIVER Iowa Fair 1942 84 548
PLATTE BRANCH Iowa Poor 1942 84 15
STREAM Iowa Poor 1942 84 5
SMALL Iowa Fair 1942 84 250
STEER CREEK Iowa Poor 1942 84 139
MISS. RIVER HWY & RR Iowa Fair 1943 83 17,700
LITTLE RIVER Iowa Poor 1943 83 72
STREAM Iowa Poor 1943 83 20
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1943 83 47
STREAM Iowa Poor 1943 83 21
STREAM Iowa Poor 1943 83 11
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1943 83 30
TROUT RUN CREEK BRANCH Iowa Good 1943 83 108
CREEK Iowa Fair 1943 83 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.