FM
Carrying FM over SOUTH WEST CREEK
072261503, Clarke, Iowa
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: FM
The FM bridge in Clarke, Iowa carries FM over SOUTH WEST CREEK. It was built in 1960, making it 66 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1980, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 1 section, stretching 17.4 meters (57 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 141 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Iowa bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 3/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. A component scored 4 or below, placing this bridge in the federal Poor condition category rather than declaring it unsafe or closed.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How FM compares
Live comparison across Iowa.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1960
- Last Reconstructed
- 1980
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 17.4 m (57 ft)
- Deck Width
- 7.9 m (26 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 141 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000114720
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in poor condition (3/9), showing advanced deterioration that may require priority repair.
How to read this record
FM is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare FM against other structures in Clarke and across Iowa. Iowa bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for FM?
FM in Clarke, Iowa has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 3/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is FM inspected?
FM's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 141 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. FM is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for FM?
An inventory load rating is not recorded for FM.
Who is responsible for maintaining FM?
FM is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is FM and does age affect safety?
FM was built in 1960, making it 66 years old and last reconstructed in 1980.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.