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

LOCAL

Poor

Over: MOSQUITO CREEK

080403505, Shelby, IA

Built 1930 Load: 8.4 t ADT: 26

LOCAL

Poor

Over: LITTLE CEDAR CREEK

070083204, Van Buren, IA

Built 1961 Load: 8.4 t ADT: 21

LOCAL

Poor

Over: EAGLE CREEK

092251701, Wright, IA

Built 1975 Load: 8.4 t ADT: 5

LOCAL

Poor

Over: ROCK CK

086111802, Benton, IA

Built 1974 Load: 8.5 t ADT: 11

FM

Poor

Over: FLOOD CREEK

096173101, Floyd, IA

Built 1969 Load: 8.5 t ADT: 88

FM

Poor

Over: PRAIRIE CREEK

080200203, Jasper, IA

Built 1955 Load: 8.5 t ADT: 40

LOCAL

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE

071381604, Montgomery, IA

Built 1945 Load: 8.5 t ADT: 20

220TH ST

Poor

Over: EAST BR INDIAN CREEK

083220201, Story, IA

Built 1900 Load: 8.5 t ADT: 34

LOCAL

Poor

Over: CREEK

067320201, Taylor, IA

Built 1950 Load: 8.5 t ADT: 20

LOCAL

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH 6

092252401, Wright, IA

Built 1967 Load: 8.5 t ADT: 81

LOC 150TH ST

Poor

Over: OTTER CR

090093201, Buchanan, IA

Built 1953 Load: 8.6 t ADT: 130

LOCAL 560TH ST

Poor

Over: FIDDLE CREEK

091421701, Cherokee, IA

Built 1915 Load: 8.6 t ADT: 20

LOC YANKEE AVE

Poor

Over: NICHOLS CR

100112402, Howard, IA

Built 1949 Load: 8.6 t ADT: 42

LOCAL

Poor

Over: CROOKED CREEK

092311601, Pocahontas, IA

Built 1980 Load: 8.6 t ADT: 5

9TH AVE

Poor

Over: INDIAN CREEK

000000000, Pottawattamie, IA

Built 1930 Load: 8.6 t ADT: 4,059

LOCAL

Poor

Over: STREAM

078133401, Poweshiek, IA

Built 1920 Load: 8.6 t ADT: 11

LOCAL

Poor

Over: WALNUT CREEK

081151902, Poweshiek, IA

Built 1928 Load: 8.6 t ADT: 15

LOCAL

Poor

Over: HONEY CREEK

069322801, Taylor, IA

Built 1960 Load: 8.6 t ADT: 15

LOCAL

Poor

Over: WEST 102 RIVER

070341801, Taylor, IA

Built 1965 Load: 8.6 t ADT: 11

LOCAL

Poor

Over: BR PRAIRIE CK

082111702, Benton, IA

Built 1970 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 20

LOCAL

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

077100503, Keokuk, IA

Built 1983 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 11

LYNX AVE

Poor

Over: PLYMOUTH CREEK

091450402, Plymouth, IA

Built 1960 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 26

FM-F AVE.

Poor

Over: W FORK LITTLE SIOUX RVR

092422402, Cherokee, IA

Built 1924 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 26

FM

Poor

Over: ELK CREEK

069271704, Decatur, IA

Built 1983 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 26

LOCAL

Poor

Over: TROUBLESOME CREEK

079332901, Guthrie, IA

Built 1990 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 11

LOCAL ROAD

Poor

Over: BRANCH SUGAR CREEK

073071605, Henry, IA

Built 1917 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 21

320TH ST

Poor

Over: BIG WHISKEY CREEK

090453001, Plymouth, IA

Built 1900 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 11

E 5TH STREET

Poor

Over: OVERFLOW IOWA RIVER

082150303, Tama, IA

Built 1900 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 320

LOCAL

Poor

Over: WEST 102 RIVER

069352203, Taylor, IA

Built 1972 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 15

LOCAL

Poor

Over: SMALL STREAM

071292702, Union, IA

Built 1900 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 5

FM

Poor

Over: CREEK

100071305, Winneshiek, IA

Built 1915 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 59

LOCAL

Poor

Over: BR RACCOON RIVER

090360202, Buena Vista, IA

Built 1972 Load: 8.9 t ADT: 15

LOCAL

Poor

Over: CHARITON CREEK

071242208, Clarke, IA

Built 1900 Load: 8.9 t ADT: 34

LOCAL

Poor

Over: EAST LONG CREEK

072273601, Clarke, IA

Built 1986 Load: 8.9 t ADT: 26

1290 ECHO AVE

Poor

Over: BOONE RIVER

094262302, Hancock, IA

Built 1969 Load: 8.9 t ADT: 20

LOCAL

Poor

Over: SNIPE CREEK

082181302, Marshall, IA

Built 1915 Load: 8.9 t ADT: 51

LOCAL

Poor

Over: STREAM

067300801, Ringgold, IA

Built 1947 Load: 8.9 t ADT: 34

LOCAL

Poor

Over: GOOSEBERRY CREEK

068290201, Ringgold, IA

Built 1965 Load: 8.9 t ADT: 20

LOCAL

Poor

Over: DD#16

089351302, Sac, IA

Built 1924 Load: 8.9 t ADT: 45

LOCAL

Poor

Over: SMALL STREAM

082132104, Tama, IA

Built 1986 Load: 8.9 t ADT: 29

LOCAL

Poor

Over: CREEK

070320602, Taylor, IA

Built 1953 Load: 8.9 t ADT: 5

LOCAL

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH 11-13

090260804, Wright, IA

Built 1927 Load: 8.9 t ADT: 72

235TH STREET

Poor

Over: KEMP CREEK

071351203, Adams, IA

Built 1940 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 26

LOCAL

Poor

Over: SO WHITE BREAST CREEK

071240805, Clarke, IA

Built 1981 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 15

FM

Poor

Over: BRANCH OTTER CREEK

073243103, Clarke, IA

Built 1951 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 40

ECHO VALLEY RD.

Poor

Over: OTTER CREEK

094082207, Fayette, IA

Built 1969 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 88

LOCAL

Poor

Over: TIPTON CREEK

087210802, Hardin, IA

Built 1984 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 30

FM

Poor

Over: SMALL STREAM

097451501, Sioux, IA

Built 1962 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 34

LOCAL

Poor

Over: SMALL STREAM

068353002, Taylor, IA

Built 1974 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 11

LOCAL

Poor

Over: WHEELER CREEK

091231501, Wright, IA

Built 1978 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 51

Showing 17,501-17,550 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.