State profile · Above median Poor share

Iowa bridge safety

Condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition data for every public highway bridge in Iowa, based on the FHWA National Bridge Inventory.

20,753
Public bridges
36.5%
Good condition
20.0%
Poor condition

Data updated May 2026

Total Bridges

20,753

Public highway bridges in Iowa

Good Condition

36.5%

7,582 bridges rated 7-9

-13.5pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

20.0%

4,153 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

13.0pp vs national avg 7.0%

Iowa vs national bridge condition

Iowa - Good condition share 36.5%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Iowa - Poor-condition share 66.7%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.0%.

Condition Distribution

Iowa38.5%40.4%21.1%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Iowa (FHWA NBI)

Counties (99)

Adair 208 Adams 147 Allamakee 170 Appanoose 159 Audubon 161 Benton 327 Black Hawk 411 Boone 119 Bremer 220 Buchanan 281 Buena Vista 140 Butler 261 Calhoun 171 Carroll 223 Cass 237 Cedar 265 Cerro Gordo 210 Cherokee 223 Chickasaw 268 Clarke 150 Clay 138 Clayton 214 Clinton 325 Crawford 242 Dallas 154 Davis 156 Decatur 178 Delaware 254 Des Moines 156 Dickinson 73 Dubuque 304 Emmet 70 Fayette 288 Floyd 195 Franklin 214 Fremont 133 Greene 150 Grundy 270 Guthrie 236 Hamilton 134 Hancock 128 Hardin 211 Harrison 162 Henry 144 Howard 193 Humboldt 70 Ida 164 Iowa 189 Jackson 209 Jasper 321 Jefferson 142 Johnson 317 Jones 215 Keokuk 152 Kossuth 256 Lee 185 Linn 428 Louisa 134 Lucas 186 Lyon 241 Madison 221 Mahaska 219 Marion 204 Marshall 283 Mills 170 Mitchell 160 Monona 125 Monroe 126 Montgomery 184 Muscatine 127 O'Brien 229 Osceola 176 Page 185 Palo Alto 114 Plymouth 407 Pocahontas 186 Polk 415 Pottawattamie 469 Poweshiek 221 Ringgold 206 Sac 188 Scott 212 Shelby 194 Sioux 429 Story 262 Tama 307 Taylor 220 Union 153 Van Buren 142 Wapello 160 Warren 231 Washington 203 Wayne 163 Webster 179 Winnebago 48 Winneshiek 317 Woodbury 379 Worth 89 Wright 168

Iowa vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Iowa on the same metric.

WV

West Virginia

16.02% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$7,679

SD

South Dakota

16.24% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,905
Selected

IA

Iowa

20.01% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$20,753

VI

Virgin Islands

29.17% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$24

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Iowa

Six lowest-condition bridges in Iowa, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

270TH STREET

Poor

Over: ROSE BRANCH

071343401, Adams, IA

Built 1976 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 79

LOCAL

Poor

Over: CREEK

078342601, Audubon, IA

Built 1935 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 21

KLINE RD

Poor

Over: MUD CREEK

87-12-15-02-10, Black Hawk, IA

Built 1948 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 11

LOCAL - 700TH

Poor

Over: TRIB TROUBLESOME CREEK

077351402, Cass, IA

Built 1983 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 11

LOCAL - DAYTONA

Poor

Over: BUCK CREEK

077361903, Cass, IA

Built 1980 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 35

100TH ST.

Poor

Over: UNION CREEK

083E20101, Clinton, IA

Built 1900 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 78

All Bridges in Iowa

SB I-35,WB I-80

Unknown

Over: 6TH AVE

0.4 mi. W of Jct. IA 415, Polk, IA

Built 1958 ADT: 2,025

NB I 35 EB I 80

Unknown

Over: IA 415

At Jct. of IA 415, Polk, IA

Built 1999 ADT: 16,400

I 80 WB I 35 SB

Unknown

Over: IA 415

At Jct. of IA 415, Polk, IA

Built 1999 ADT: 16,400

NB I-35,EB I-80

Unknown

Over: NE 3RD ST

0.3 mi. E of Jct. IA 415, Polk, IA

Built 2000 ADT: 1,270

I 35 NB I 80 EB

Unknown

Over: US 69

AT JUNCTION WITH US 69, Polk, IA

Built 2000 ADT: 9,550

NE 22ND ST

Unknown

Over: I 80 & I 35

0.3 mi. W of E jct. I-235, Polk, IA

Built 2017 ADT: 83,600

NE 54TH AVE

Unknown

Over: I 35

0.5 MI. N OF I-80 JCT, Polk, IA

Built 2017 ADT: 86,200

IA 160

Unknown

Over: I-35

AT JUNCTION INTERSTATE 35, Polk, IA

Built 1986 ADT: 55,600

I 35 NB

Unknown

Over: E 1ST STREET

2.0 MILES N OF JCT IA 160, Polk, IA

Built 2019 ADT: 2,205

I 35 SB

Unknown

Over: E 1ST STREET

2.0 mi. N of jct. IA 160, Polk, IA

Built 2020 ADT: 2,205

WB I-235

Unknown

Over: I-35

AT WEST JUNCTION I-35-80, Polk, IA

Built 1966 ADT: 31,800

EB I-80

Unknown

Over: NE 29TH ST

0.7 mi. E of E Jct. I-35, Polk, IA

Built 1959 ADT: 1,165

WB I-80

Unknown

Over: NE 29TH ST

0.7 mi. E of E Jct. I-35, Polk, IA

Built 1959 ADT: 1,165

34TH AVE NW

Unknown

Over: I-80 & US-65

0.4 MILES W OF JCT US 65, Polk, IA

Built 2013 ADT: 50,700

NE 72ND ST

Unknown

Over: I-80 & US 6

1.6 mi. E of Jct. U.S. 65, Polk, IA

Built 2006 ADT: 36,100

FM NE 80TH ST

Unknown

Over: I-80

2.8 MILES E OF JCT. US 65, Polk, IA

Built 1959 ADT: 39,000

NE 96TH ST

Unknown

Over: I-80

1.9 MILES WEST OF SR S27, Polk, IA

Built 1959 ADT: 39,000

FM S-27

Unknown

Over: I-80

At Jct. Polk Co. S27, Polk, IA

Built 1959 ADT: 36,100

I 80 EB

Unknown

Over: I-35

AT W JCT. I-35, Polk, IA

Built 1966 ADT: 3,190

I 80 EB

Unknown

Over: I 235

0.2 MILE E OF W JCT I-80, Polk, IA

Built 1966 ADT: 57,900

VALLEY WEST DR

Unknown

Over: I 235

1.3 MI E OF W JCT 80/35, Polk, IA

Built 2003 ADT: 87,000

EB I-235

Unknown

Over: 22ND ST

2.1 MI E OF W JCT I-35/80, Polk, IA

Built 1968 ADT: 3,500

EB I-235

Unknown

Over: 17TH ST

1.3 mi. W of Jct. IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 1967 ADT: 900

WB I-235

Unknown

Over: 17TH ST

1.3 mi. W of Jct. IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 1967 ADT: 900

EB I-235

Unknown

Over: 73RD ST & RR

3.2 MI E OF W JCT I 80/35, Polk, IA

Built 1968 ADT: 9,050

IA 28

Unknown

Over: I-235

At Jct. I-235, Polk, IA

Built 2004 ADT: 104,800

EB I-235

Unknown

Over: CUMMINS PARKWAY

0.2 MILE E OF JCT IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 1967 ADT: 280

NB(WB) POLK BLV

Unknown

Over: I-235

1.2 MILES E OF JCT IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 2003 ADT: 63,400

42ND ST SW

Unknown

Over: I-235

1.5 MI EAST OF JCT IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 2003 ADT: 114,500

EB I-235

Unknown

Over: 35TH STREET

2.0 MILES E OF JCT IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 2004 ADT: 2,190

WB I-235

Unknown

Over: 35TH STREET

2.1 mi. E of Jct. IA #28, Polk, IA

Built 2005 ADT: 2,190

31ST STREET

Unknown

Over: I-235

2.3 mi. E of Jct. IA #28, Polk, IA

Built 2005 ADT: 113,700

WB I-235

Unknown

Over: 28TH STREET

2.6 mi. E of Jct. IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 2005 ADT: 895

W 19TH ST

Unknown

Over: I-235

3.3 MILES E OF JCT IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 2003 ADT: 91,500

EB I-235

Unknown

Over: KEO WAY

3.6 mi. E of Jct. IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 2006 ADT: 4,900

WB I-235

Unknown

Over: KEO WAY

3.6 MILES E OF JCT. IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 2005 ADT: 4,900

9TH STREET

Unknown

Over: I-235

3.9 mi. E of Jct. IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 2007 ADT: 78,900

6TH AVE

Unknown

Over: I-235

1.4 miles west of US 69, Polk, IA

Built 2004 ADT: 90,300

3RD ST

Unknown

Over: I-235

4.3 mi. E of Jct. IA #28, Polk, IA

Built 2003 ADT: 83,600

2ND AVE ON RAMP

Unknown

Over: S-W CONN OVER WB I-235

4.4 MILES E OF JCT IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 2002 ADT: 89,000

2ND AVE

Unknown

Over: I-235

4.4 MILES E OF JCT IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 2003 ADT: 89,000

I-235

Unknown

Over: DES MOINES RIVER AND RDS

4.6 MILES E OF JCT IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 1962 ADT: 2,531

2ND AVE EB RAMP

Unknown

Over: WEST RIVER DRIVE

1.0 mile West of US 69, Polk, IA

Built 2003 ADT: 900

PENN AVE

Unknown

Over: I-235

5.0 mi. E of Jct. IA 28, Polk, IA

Built 2002 ADT: 80,600

EB I-235

Unknown

Over: NB US 69/E 15TH ST

AT JUNCTION WITH US 69, Polk, IA

Built 2004 ADT: 8,250

EB I-235

Unknown

Over: UNIVERSITY AVE

0.6 MI E OF JCT US 69 NB, Polk, IA

Built 2005 ADT: 4,850

EB I-235

Unknown

Over: E 21ST STREET

0.3 mi. E of Jct. IA #163, Polk, IA

Built 2005 ADT: 3,300

EB I-235

Unknown

Over: GUTHRIE AVE

1.2 MILES E OF JCT IA 163, Polk, IA

Built 2006 ADT: 3,000

I 235 EB

Unknown

Over: HULL AVE

0.4 MILE S OF JCT US 6, Polk, IA

Built 2005 ADT: 840

EB I-235

Unknown

Over: NE 46 AVE

0.5 MILE S OF I-35/80 JCT, Polk, IA

Built 1967 ADT: 4,200

Showing 651-700 of 20,753 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

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

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.