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
LINN CR Iowa Poor 1945 81 44
MINERVA CR Iowa Poor 1945 81 5
CREEK Iowa Poor 1945 81 20
MUD CREEK Iowa Poor 1945 81 11
DRAINAGE Iowa Poor 1945 81 20
DRAINAGE Iowa Poor 1945 81 5
LAMKIN CREEK Iowa Poor 1945 81 35
STREAM Iowa Fair 1945 81 21
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1945 81 26
CAMP CREEK Iowa Fair 1945 81 15
WILLOW CREEK Iowa Fair 1945 81 15
BRANCH OF RICHLAND CREEK Iowa Good 1945 81 5
SOUTH BRANCH SALT CREEK Iowa Good 1945 81 29
BRANCH CRYSTAL CREEK Iowa Fair 1945 81 15
COON CREEK Iowa Fair 1945 81 20
PLATTE RIVER Iowa Fair 1945 81 50
PLATTE BRANCH Iowa Fair 1945 81 5
SMALL STREAM Iowa Fair 1945 81 71
MIDDLE 102 RIVER Iowa Fair 1945 81 5
BR NORTH WOLF CREEK Iowa Poor 1945 81 11
PAINTER CREEK Iowa Poor 1945 81 11
SMALL Iowa Fair 1945 81 170
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Fair 1946 80 1,160
CREEK Iowa Poor 1946 80 34
CREEK Iowa Fair 1946 80 40
TRIB TO CEDAR RIVER Iowa Fair 1946 80 44
FIELD STREAM Iowa Poor 1946 80 60
BR LITTLE ELKHORN CR Iowa Fair 1946 80 11
SUGAR CREEK Iowa Fair 1946 80 80
ROCK CR Iowa Poor 1946 80 50
CLEAR CREEK Iowa Poor 1946 80 71
ROCK CREEK Iowa Poor 1946 80 20
ROBERT CREEK Iowa Fair 1946 80 196
STREAM Iowa Fair 1946 80 15
STONY CREEK Iowa Poor 1946 80 11
CREEK Iowa Fair 1946 80 26
PRAIRIE CREEK Iowa Fair 1946 80 45
CREEK Iowa Fair 1946 80 160
BLACK HAWK CREEK Iowa Poor 1946 80 59
SMALL STREAM Iowa Fair 1946 80 160
CHARITON RIVER Iowa Poor 1946 80 11
SMALL STREAM Iowa Fair 1946 80 509
DRAINAGE Iowa Fair 1946 80 20
SKUNK RIVER OVERFLOW Iowa Fair 1946 80 224
MINERVA CR Iowa Poor 1946 80 30
MUD CREEK Iowa Poor 1946 80 41
DRAINAGE WAY Iowa Fair 1946 80 60
DD Iowa Poor 1946 80 72
CLEAR CREEK Iowa Poor 1946 80 5
PLYMOUTH CREEK Iowa Poor 1946 80 5

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.