BACKBONE STATE PK
Carrying BACKBONE STATE PK over BR MAQUOKETA RIVER
IN BACKBONE STATE PARK, Delaware, Iowa
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
BACKBONE STATE PK in Delaware, Iowa sits above 68% of rated Iowa bridges on inventory load rating (34 t), while its 1976 build year is earlier than 57% of Delaware's recorded-year cohort (293 bridges).
BACKBONE STATE PK in Delaware, Iowa is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1976, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 6. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Fair 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:000000000699055
INTERSTATE-ERA · CONCRETE · LONG-SPAN-RUN · TIED-CTRL · ADT-UNK · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- CONCRETE Concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 4 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- ADT-UNK ADT unknown
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-FAIR Fair
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: BACKBONE STATE PK
The BACKBONE STATE PK bridge in Delaware, Iowa carries BACKBONE STATE PK over BR MAQUOKETA RIVER. It was built in 1976, making it 50 years old today. The structure is built primarily of concrete continuous and spans 4 sections, stretching 42.4 meters (139 feet) end to end. Average daily traffic is not reported for this structure. It is owned and maintained by State Park/Forest/Reservation.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How BACKBONE STATE PK compares
Age against the county: built in 1976, earlier than 168 of Delaware's 293 bridges with a recorded construction year (57%), against a county median build year of 1981. 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).
BACKBONE STATE PK vs every rated Iowa bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
34 Top 32% higher than 68% 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.
Delaware inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 293 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
- 1976
- Material
- Concrete Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 4
- Structure Length
- 42.4 m (139 ft)
- Deck Width
- 9.8 m (32 ft)
- Owner
- State Park/Forest/Reservation
- Structure Number
- 000000000699055
Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • At 7/9, 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 BACKBONE STATE PK 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 BACKBONE STATE PK against other structures in Delaware 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 BACKBONE STATE PK?
BACKBONE STATE PK in Delaware, Iowa has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is BACKBONE STATE PK inspected?
BACKBONE STATE PK's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. BACKBONE STATE PK is currently shown as Fair condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for BACKBONE STATE PK?
BACKBONE STATE PK has an NBI inventory load rating of 33.5 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining BACKBONE STATE PK?
BACKBONE STATE PK is owned and maintained by State Park/Forest/Reservation.
How old is BACKBONE STATE PK and does age affect safety?
BACKBONE STATE PK was built in 1976, making it 50 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.