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
HENRY CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 45
MUD CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 72
ROETZEL CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 15
STREAM Iowa Poor 1950 76 11
STREAM Iowa Fair 1950 76 21
LITTLE OCHEYEDAN RIVER Iowa Fair 1950 76 21
MUD CREEK Iowa Poor 1950 76 50
DD Iowa Fair 1950 76 30
RATHBURN CREEK Iowa Poor 1950 76 26
CAMP CREEK Iowa Poor 1950 76 467
GRAYBILL CREEK Iowa Poor 1950 76 29
STREAM Iowa Fair 1950 76 29
IAIS RR Iowa Fair 1950 76 15
BIG BEAR CREEK Iowa Poor 1950 76 50
BEAR CREEK Iowa Poor 1950 76 60
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1950 76 34
CROOKED CREEK Iowa Poor 1950 76 11
W FORK GRAND RIVER Iowa Poor 1950 76 60
STREAM Iowa Poor 1950 76 5
BOYER RIVER Iowa Fair 1950 76 489
BUCK CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 -
DUTCH BRANCH Iowa Fair 1950 76 34
SMALL STREAM Iowa Fair 1950 76 72
SMALL STREAM Iowa Fair 1950 76 72
LITTLE SILVER CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 131
SMALL STREAM Iowa Poor 1950 76 11
LONG BRANCH CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 30
PIGEON CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 62
SMALL STREAM Iowa Fair 1950 76 30
SMALL STREAM Iowa Fair 1950 76 30
WEST BRANCH Iowa Fair 1950 76 100
ROCK RIVER OVERFLOW Iowa Fair 1950 76 2,963
BALLARD CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 110
DRAINAGE Iowa Fair 1950 76 34
DYE CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 40
EAST BR INDIAN CREEK Iowa Poor 1950 76 30
CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 10
BRANCH OF IOWA RIVER Iowa Poor 1950 76 5
TROUBLESOME CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 33
BRANCH IOWA RIVER Iowa Fair 1950 76 39
TWELVE MILE CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 29
TWELVE MILE CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 20
CREEK Iowa Poor 1950 76 20
PLATTE BRANCH Iowa Poor 1950 76 45
CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 11
EAST RIVER Iowa Poor 1950 76 40
CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 20
FOUR MILE CREEK Iowa Fair 1950 76 20
TRIB DES MOINES RIVER Iowa Poor 1950 76 60
SUGAR CREEK Iowa Poor 1950 76 270

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.