County profile · official public datasets

Cerro Gordo County, IA

266 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 44% rated Good, 51.1% Fair, 4.9% Poor.

266
Public bridges
44%
Good condition
4.9%
Poor condition

The verdict

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.

Cerro Gordo County posts a top-5% lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.

Top 4%
lowest Poor share in state
4.9%
Poor-condition share
266
public highway bridges
1975
avg year built

Poor is an FHWA condition category from the lowest applicable component rating (4 or below), not a live crossing-safety or closure decision. Rankings cover counties with at least five public highway bridges.

Cerro Gordo County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Cerro Gordo County ranks #4 of 99 Iowa counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 4.9%). Cerro Gordo County, Iowa contains 266 public highway bridges. Roughly 44% are rated “Good,” 51.1% “Fair,” and 4.9% “Poor.” Poor means the lowest applicable deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert rating is 4 or below on the 0–9 NBI scale. It is a condition category, not a live safety or closure decision.

Responsible agencies inspect covered bridges on risk-based intervals under current NBIS rules and submit inventory data to FHWA annually. The list below shows every NBI-tracked bridge in the county. Use the “Sort by” controls to change the ordering, and click any row for its reported inspection date, traffic count, and condition fields.

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See methodology for full definitions.

Total bridges

266

Public highway bridges in Cerro Gordo County

Good condition

44%

117 of 266 rated 7-9

Fair condition

51.1%

136 of 266 rated 5-6

Poor condition

4.9%

13 of 266 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#4 of 99

Among Iowa counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better

Condition distribution

Share of 266 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
44% (117)
Fair
51.1% (136)
Poor
4.9% (13)

Cerro Gordo County's Poor-condition bridges carry 3,435 vehicle crossings a day

That is 0.5% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 4.9% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 264 crossings a day against 1,790 for a Good-condition one. A Poor rating is a condition category, not a closure or a live safety judgement; it means the lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below.

Computed over the 266 of 266 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

55.3% of Cerro Gordo County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

147 of the 266 bridges with a recorded construction year were built in 1974 or earlier. Age alone is not a defect: a well-maintained older bridge can rate Good, and 44% of this county's inventory does. Even so, this older cohort is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn, which is why the age profile below matters alongside the condition split above.

Cutoff derives from the 2024 release year minus a 50-year design life. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

One structure carries 62% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

12TH ST NE over CREEK, built 1920, carries 2,128 vehicles a day, the most of any Poor-rated structure here. The county's Poor-condition exposure is concentrated rather than evenly spread, so the 13-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 3,435 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Cerro Gordo County's bridges were built

266 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 1970s, when 70 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 26.3% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 45 to 54 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1975) matches the Iowa average (1979).

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory (year built) As of 2024 NBI release

How Cerro Gordo County compares with Iowa's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 Iowa counties nearest Cerro Gordo County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 4.9% Poor share is the 1st-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1975 against a peer-group mean of 1981 is 6 years older.

Showing the 5 closest of 98 Iowa counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Cerro Gordo County and the 5 Iowa counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Lyon County 276 22.8%
Kossuth County 267 16.5%
Bremer County 266 12%
Cerro Gordo County (this page) 266 4.9%
O'Brien County 264 4.9%
Guthrie County 263 36.9%

Each share is of that county's own total tracked bridges; peers are the counties with 5 or more bridges whose inventory size is closest to Cerro Gordo County's. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

Nationwide counties with similar inventory size or average build year

Two NBI-derived peer sets for Cerro Gordo County, both outside Iowa so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside IA (266 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside IA (1975 here).

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.

All 266 Good 117 Fair 136 Poor 13

All bridges (266)

SPRUCE AVE

Good

Over: ROSE CREEK

0.4 Mi N of B15, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2014 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 79

CARDINAL

Good

Over: WINNEBAGO RIVER

097220904, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1998 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 26

SB I-35

Good

Over: IMRL RR

0.2 MI. S OF JCT. 18, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1970 Load: 36.6 t ADT: 10,800

1ST ST

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

001070195, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2005 Load: 36.7 t ADT: 1,049

WARBLER

Good

Over: LITTLE LIME CREEK

096192602, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2001 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 47

SB US 65

Good

Over: WINNEBAGO RIVER

0.1 mi. N of S.R. B20, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2009 Load: 37.4 t ADT: 3,250

US 18 EB

Good

Over: I-35

AT THE JCT. OF I-35, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1998 Load: 37.4 t ADT: 1,310

120TH

Good

Over: BAILEY CREEK

0.6 MI E OF GROUSE AVE, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2011 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 30

290TH

Good

Over: SHELL ROCK RIVER

097193503, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1998 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 47

WARBLER AVE

Good

Over: US 18

3.1 mi. E of Jct. SR S56, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1997 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 47

CO RD S-56

Good

Over: US 18

At Jct. S.R. S56, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1998 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 1,895

LOCAL

Good

Over: COLD WATER CREEK

094192602, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2006 Load: 38.5 t ADT: 11

YARROW

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

095192402, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1992 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 41

330 TH

Good

Over: ROCK FALLS CREEK

097190901, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1971 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 49

US 18

Good

Over: CRANE CREEK

1.9 MI. E OF JCT. I-35, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1998 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 8,300

S18 EAGLE AVE

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK

097223504, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2019 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 727

DOGWOOD

Good

Over: WINNEBAGO RIVER

097220304, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2006 Load: 39.4 t ADT: 73

S DELAWARE AVE

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK

0.1 Mi. N. of IA 122, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2011 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 460

YARROW

Good

Over: COLD WATER CREEK

94193625, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2011 Load: 40.0 t ADT: 206

HEATHER

Good

Over: W BRANCH BEAVER DAM CRK

000000000, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2010 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 30

340TH

Good

Over: SHELL ROCK RIVER

000000000, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2010 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 82

B20 300TH ST

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

0.5 MI E US65, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2016 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 589

12TH ST NW

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK

0.1 Mi E & W Taft Ave, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2019 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 8,292

330TH

Good

Over: SHELL ROCK RIVER

097190803, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2003 Load: 42.5 t ADT: 196

ASH ST

Good

Over: W BR BEAVER DAM CREEK

0.1 MI E S25, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2018 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 599

MAIN ST

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

West of Broad Street, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2021 Load: 43.1 t ADT: 167

US 18 WB

Good

Over: CERRO GORDO COUNTY TRAIL

5.0 mi. E of Jct. I-35, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1997 Load: 43.3 t ADT: 4,450

US 65

Good

Over: US 18

At Jct. US 18, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1996 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 5,700

US 65

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

1.1 mi. N of Jct. S.R.B20, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2009 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 4,600

US 18 WB

Good

Over: I-35

AT THE JCT. OF I-35, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1998 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 610

NB I 35

Good

Over: MAIN ST

0.6 MI. S OF N JCT. US.18, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1970 Load: 44.5 t ADT: 9,550

INDIGO AVE

Good

Over: CALMUS CREEK

Indigo 745 N of 300th, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2020 Load: 45.0 t ADT: 35

US 18 EB IA 27 SB

Good

Over: UPRR

1.5 mi. W of US 65, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1997 Load: 45.3 t ADT: 4,450

NB I-35

Good

Over: WINNEBAGO RIVER

2.3 mi. S of Jct. IA 9, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1970 Load: 45.6 t ADT: 10,500

W MADISON ST

Good

Over: E BR BEAVER DAM CREEK

.25 M E. of Hwy 65, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2014 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 1,280

225TH ST

Good

Over: BAD LANDS DRAW

096193503, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2019 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 30

1ST ST

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

0.1 MI S B65, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2018 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 679

EB US 18

Good

Over: UPRR

0.7 mi. E of Jct. US 65, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1999 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 5,250

19TH STREET SW

Good

Over: UP RR & ARMORY RD

000000000, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2008 Load: 48.0 t ADT: 6,588

295TH

Good

Over: SHELL ROCK RIVER

097192703, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1985 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 62

US 18 WB

Good

Over: UPRR

0.7 mi. E of Jct. U.S. 65, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1999 Load: 48.2 t ADT: 5,250

S56 THRUSH AVE

Good

Over: COLD WATER CREEK

1.3 MI S B60, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2016 Load: 49.2 t ADT: 344

300TH COURT

Good

Over: WHARAM CREEK

0.5 MI W US65, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2018 Load: 49.2 t ADT: 350

180TH ST

Good

Over: BEAVER DAM CREEK

1400 E of Olive Ave, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2021 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 34

290TH ST

Good

Over: IDEAL CREEK

0.4 mi. east of Raven Ave, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2021 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 51

LOCAL

Good

Over: BAILEYE CREEK

093210101, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1991 Load: 52.6 t ADT: 51

340TH

Good

Over: ROSE CREEK

097200101, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 2002 Load: 52.7 t ADT: 41

MALLARD AVE

Good

Over: US 18

4.4 mi. E of jct. I-35, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1998 Load: 53.0 t ADT: 1,502

I-35

Good

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

0.4 mi. N of Jct. SR B60, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1972 Load: 53.4 t ADT: 17,800

US 18 EB

Good

Over: LITTLE LIME CREEK

1.6 mi. E of S.R. S56, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1997 Load: 56.0 t ADT: 5,500

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

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Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges

Every figure on PlainBridges 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. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.