2870 BIRCH AVE
Carrying 2870 BIRCH AVE over PLUM CREEK
097263202, Hancock, Iowa
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
2870 BIRCH AVE in Hancock, Iowa sits above 10% of rated Iowa bridges on inventory load rating (15 t), while its 1975 build year is earlier than 58% of Hancock's recorded-year cohort (138 bridges).
2870 BIRCH AVE in Hancock, Iowa is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1975, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 4. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Poor result describes the weakest reported component rather than the structure as a whole. No NBI category is a closure decision or a live crossing-safety verdict.
NBI record plate
Structure IA:000000000174421
INTERSTATE-ERA · CONCRETE · MULTI-SPAN · SUB-LED · LOCAL-ADT · LIGHT-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- CONCRETE Concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- LIGHT-LOAD Light load
- CAT-POOR Poor
Inspection-sheet codes from this record’s year, material family, spans, controlling component, ADT, inventory load, and NBI category, not a live closure verdict.
Bridge Snapshot: 2870 BIRCH AVE
The 2870 BIRCH AVE bridge in Hancock, Iowa carries 2870 BIRCH AVE over PLUM CREEK. It was built in 1975, making it 51 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 19.2 meters (63 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 51 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 6/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. At least one major component here scores 4 or below, which produces a Poor condition classification under FHWA's current reporting rules.
How 2870 BIRCH AVE compares
Age against the county: built in 1975, earlier than 80 of Hancock's 138 bridges with a recorded construction year (58%), against a county median build year of 1979. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Iowa bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (23,718 of 23,719 rated).
2870 BIRCH AVE vs every rated Iowa bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
15 Top 90% higher than 10% of 23,718 bridges
rated Iowa bridges, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more bridges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · August 2026
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Reported 0–9 component ratings from the FHWA NBI. The highlighted component is the lowest reported input to this record’s current condition category; it is not a closure or live crossing-safety decision.
Hancock inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 138 bridges in this county. Orthogonal to this structure's component profile above: a county catalog share, not a live crossing-safety verdict.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1975
- Material
- Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 19.2 m (63 ft)
- Deck Width
- 7.9 m (26 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 51 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000174421
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • At 6/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • At 4/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) is in poor shape, with advanced wear on file for this vintage.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
2870 BIRCH AVE 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 2870 BIRCH AVE against other structures in Hancock 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 2870 BIRCH AVE?
2870 BIRCH AVE in Hancock, Iowa has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is 2870 BIRCH AVE inspected?
2870 BIRCH AVE'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 51 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. 2870 BIRCH AVE 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 2870 BIRCH AVE?
2870 BIRCH AVE has an NBI inventory load rating of 15.1 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining 2870 BIRCH AVE?
2870 BIRCH AVE is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is 2870 BIRCH AVE and does age affect safety?
2870 BIRCH AVE was built in 1975, making it 51 years old.
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.
Share this inspection record
Send this source-bounded record or download its data card. An NBI condition category is not a closure or live crossing-safety verdict.
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component ratings, ADT, and condition category on this page are copied from the NBI record for this structure; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.