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
PAINTER CREEK Iowa Fair 1948 78 45
DEVIL CREEK Iowa Poor 1948 78 250
BEAR CR Iowa Fair 1948 78 196
MIDDLE RIVER Iowa Poor 1948 78 45
DRAINAGE Iowa Poor 1948 78 26
JIM CREEK Iowa Poor 1948 78 668
DRAINAGE Iowa Poor 1948 78 45
COAL CREEK Iowa Fair 1948 78 80
BLUFF CREEK Iowa Poor 1948 78 50
TURKEY RUN Iowa Poor 1948 78 50
SPRING CREEK Iowa Poor 1948 78 71
SKUNK RIVER Iowa Fair 1948 78 1,300
SOLDIER CREEK Iowa Poor 1948 78 40
MOFFAT BRANCH Iowa Fair 1948 78 40
DRAINAGE Iowa Poor 1948 78 20
CREEK Iowa Fair 1948 78 73
SWEETLAND CREEK Iowa Fair 1948 78 380
MUD CREEK Iowa Poor 1948 78 290
LITTLE OCHEYEDAN RIVER Iowa Fair 1948 78 21
TARKIO RIVER Iowa Fair 1948 78 34
DD 41 Iowa Poor 1948 78 46
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Poor 1948 78 60
MUD CREEK Iowa Poor 1948 78 15
BULL RUN Iowa Poor 1948 78 30
WESTFIELD CREEK Iowa Poor 1948 78 20
MINK CREEK Iowa Poor 1948 78 34
BROKEN KETTLE CREEK Iowa Poor 1948 78 20
UP RAILROAD Iowa Poor 1948 78 406
SILVER CREEK Iowa Fair 1948 78 71
GRAYBILL CREEK Iowa Fair 1948 78 15
DRAINAGE Iowa Fair 1948 78 40
STREAM Iowa Poor 1948 78 30
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1948 78 15
STREAM Iowa Poor 1948 78 20
STREAM Iowa Poor 1948 78 29
STREAM Iowa Poor 1948 78 40
SMALL STREAM Iowa Good 1948 78 30
TWELVE MILE CREEK Iowa Fair 1948 78 20
SMALL STREAM Iowa Fair 1948 78 100
DEER CREEK Iowa Fair 1948 78 59
SIDE DITCH BRIDGE Iowa Poor 1948 78 10
DRAINAGE Iowa Fair 1948 78 11,400
RAILROAD CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 2,279
BOYER RIVER Iowa Fair 1949 77 121
LITTLE ROCK RIVER Iowa Fair 1949 77 1,167
WILLOW CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 3,347
PLUM CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 275
CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 232
BLACK HAWK CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 4,635
MARROWBONE CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 558

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.