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
STREAM Iowa Fair 1949 77 1,350
STREAM Iowa Fair 1949 77 1,180
SILVER CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 1,180
STREAM Iowa Fair 1949 77 1,440
STREAM Iowa Fair 1949 77 1,460
S FORK IOWA RIVER Iowa Fair 1949 77 894
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1949 77 1,530
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Fair 1949 77 19,000
SMALL STREAM Iowa Fair 1949 77 699
LITTLE CEDAR CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 1,330
FOURMILE CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 6,800
FOURMILE CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 5,200
SMALL NATURAL CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 1,139
SMALL NATURAL STREAM Iowa Fair 1949 77 1,650
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Fair 1949 77 1,650
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Fair 1949 77 1,414
DRAINAGE DITCH Iowa Fair 1949 77 1,414
MIDDLE NODAWAY RIVER BR Iowa Poor 1949 77 15
NODAWAY RIVER WEST FORK Iowa Fair 1949 77 30
W FORK NODAWAY RIVER Iowa Poor 1949 77 30
STREAM Iowa Fair 1949 77 11
STREAM Iowa Poor 1949 77 89
BRANCH OF NODAWAY RIVER Iowa Fair 1949 77 11
CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 26
CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 21
SPRING CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 49
VIRDEN CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 29
TRIB QUARTER SECTION RUN Iowa Good 1949 77 39
IOWAY CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 50
BUFFALO CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 60
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1949 77 91
SMALL STREAM Iowa Fair 1949 77 452
NODAWAY RIVER Iowa Poor 1949 77 34
WEST CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 26
STREAM Iowa Fair 1949 77 15
STREAM Iowa Fair 1949 77 560
STREAM Iowa Fair 1949 77 403
CREEK Iowa Good 1949 77 490
W FK W NISHNABOTNA RIVER Iowa Poor 1949 77 35
BIG CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 30
BEAR CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 180
DICKENSON BRANCH Iowa Poor 1949 77 62
PRAIRIE CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 97
HONEY CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 363
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1949 77 60
MIDDLE FORK CATFISH CRK Iowa Fair 1949 77 3,632
STOE CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 44
COULEE CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 97
UNNAMED CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 15
BEAVER CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 128

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.