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
OTTER CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 5
OCHEYEDAN RIVER Iowa Fair 1949 77 30
OTTER CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 26
MIDDLE TARKIO RIVER Iowa Poor 1949 77 60
NISHNABOTNA RIVER Iowa Poor 1949 77 477
MUDDY CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 34
PERRY CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 1,028
DRAINAGE Iowa Poor 1949 77 20
MINK CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 34
BULL RUN Iowa Fair 1949 77 26
UNNAMED CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 11
DRAINAGE Iowa Poor 1949 77 20
WILLOW CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 15
SECOND CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 15
STREAM Iowa Poor 1949 77 45
STREAM Iowa Poor 1949 77 26
STREAM Iowa Poor 1949 77 45
DEEP RIVER Iowa Poor 1949 77 30
STREAM Iowa Poor 1949 77 5
STREAM Iowa Poor 1949 77 11
LOTTS CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 5
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1949 77 20
WALNUT CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 1,060
ELK CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 29
CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 20
SKUNK RIVER Iowa Fair 1949 77 80
KEIGLEY BRANCH Iowa Poor 1949 77 34
BRANCH IOWA RIVER Iowa Fair 1949 77 39
CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 5
MIDDLE 102 RIVER Iowa Poor 1949 77 11
MIDDLE BRANCH 102 RIVER Iowa Fair 1949 77 50
SOUTH WOLF CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 89
BRANCH WEST CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 21
S RIVER Iowa Poor 1949 77 807
SHORT CREEK Iowa Fair 1949 77 134
BR MIDDLE RIVER Iowa Fair 1949 77 62
NORTH RIVER Iowa Poor 1949 77 89
WEST FORK CROOKED CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 26
N BUFFALO CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 5
N BUFFALO CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 11
WOLF CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 26
MUCHAKINOCK CREEK Iowa Poor 1949 77 180
BLACKHAWK CREEK Iowa Poor 1950 76 4,004
BLACKHAWK CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 2,351
RIO GRANDE CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 232
WOLF CREEK Iowa Poor 1950 76 779
DRAINAGE Iowa Fair 1950 76 260
LOTTS CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 170
BEER CREEK Iowa Poor 1950 76 57
FOUR MILE CREEK Iowa Poor 1950 76 392

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.