LARK AVE
Carrying LARK AVE over US 18
3.4 MI. E OF JCT. I-35, Cerro Gordo, Iowa
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
LARK AVE in Cerro Gordo, Iowa sits above 98% of rated Iowa bridges on inventory load rating (60 t), while its 1998 build year is earlier than 20% of Cerro Gordo's recorded-year cohort (266 bridges).
LARK AVE in Cerro Gordo, Iowa is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1998, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 7. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Good 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:000000000601980
LATE-CENTURY · PRESTRESS · MULTI-SPAN · DECK-LED · LOCAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- LATE-CENTURY 1980–1999
- PRESTRESS Prestressed concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 2 spans
- DECK-LED Deck-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy load
- CAT-GOOD Good
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: LARK AVE
The LARK AVE bridge in Cerro Gordo, Iowa carries LARK AVE over US 18. It was built in 1998, making it 28 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 2 sections, stretching 68.6 meters (225 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 786 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Iowa bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 8/9, substructure at 8/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range.
How LARK AVE compares
Age against the county: built in 1998, earlier than 54 of Cerro Gordo's 266 bridges with a recorded construction year (20%), against a county median build year of 1972. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Iowa bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (23,718 of 23,719 rated).
LARK AVE vs every rated Iowa bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
60 Top 2% higher than 98% 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.
Cerro Gordo inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 266 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
- 1998
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 68.6 m (225 ft)
- Deck Width
- 10.0 m (33 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 786 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000000000601980
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • At 8/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • At 8/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether LARK AVE is safe to cross today. Here is how to use it.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Learn how the 0–9 condition scale and Good/Fair/Poor categories are defined. How condition ratings work
- Compare LARK AVE against other structures in Cerro Gordo 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 LARK AVE?
LARK AVE in Cerro Gordo, Iowa has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 8/9, and substructure rating of 8/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is LARK AVE inspected?
LARK 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 786 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. LARK AVE is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for LARK AVE?
LARK AVE has an NBI inventory load rating of 59.6 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining LARK AVE?
LARK AVE is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is LARK AVE and does age affect safety?
LARK AVE was built in 1998, making it 28 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.