State profile · Above national median SD

Iowa bridge safety

Condition ratings, load ratings, and structural-deficiency data for every public highway bridge in Iowa — drawn straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory.

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

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 rated 0-4

Structurally Deficient

20.0%

4,153 bridges flagged for repair priority

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 — Structurally deficient share 66.7%
National avg

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

Iowa vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states on the structurally deficient leaderboard (lower share = better)

States are ranked by share of bridges flagged structurally deficient — the FHWA classification for any span where deck, superstructure, or substructure carries a condition rating of 4 or below. Lower percentages indicate stronger maintenance funding and inspection follow-through. States here sit immediately above and below Iowa on the same metric.

54

West Virginia

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

46

South Dakota

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

19

Iowa

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

78

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 composite NBI rating. Each is inspected at least every 24 months.

All Bridges in Iowa

LOCAL

Poor

Over: BRANCH OF MAPLE

091380801, Buena Vista, IA

Built 1978 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 30

FM

Poor

Over: CREEK

092362201, Buena Vista, IA

Built 1976 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 249

FM

Poor

Over: BROOKS CREEK

092380101, Buena Vista, IA

Built 1974 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 100

FM

Poor

Over: CEDAR CREEK

087310201, Calhoun, IA

Built 1970 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 71

FM

Poor

Over: CEDAR CREEK

087311901, Calhoun, IA

Built 1971 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 150

FM - 690TH

Poor

Over: JIM CREEK

076352204, Cass, IA

Built 1971 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 329

FM

Poor

Over: BACKWATER (PUMP STATION)

070022105, Des Moines, IA

Built 1972 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 240

J AVE / P14

Poor

Over: GREENBRIER CREEK

082310302, Greene, IA

Built 1971 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 190

FM

Poor

Over: CREEK

088202904, Hardin, IA

Built 1973 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 108

LOCAL

Poor

Over: STREAM

084E60206, Jackson, IA

Built 1986 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 50

FM

Poor

Over: WEST RAT CREEK

098430102, Lyon, IA

Built 1965 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 230

FM

Poor

Over: BR BIG CEDAR CK DD#21

092331801, Pocahontas, IA

Built 1975 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 230

FM

Poor

Over: SMALL STREAM

087361301, Sac, IA

Built 1977 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 110

FM

Poor

Over: SMALL STREAM

086152401, Tama, IA

Built 1981 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 216

FM

Poor

Over: HARDIN CREEK

087300502, Webster, IA

Built 1973 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 1,446

FM

Poor

Over: DD

087301702, Webster, IA

Built 1973 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 1,446

FM

Poor

Over: DD NO 70

087301901, Webster, IA

Built 1974 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 240

FM

Poor

Over: DD

087303202, Webster, IA

Built 1973 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 1,287

FM

Poor

Over: DD NO 4

089271001, Webster, IA

Built 1974 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 559

FM

Poor

Over: DD NO 247

090283404, Webster, IA

Built 1974 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 2,284

CENTRAL AVE N

Poor

Over: SHELLROCK RIVER

000000000, Worth, IA

Built 1950 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 1,868

LOCAL

Poor

Over: LAKE CREEK W BR

087332701, Calhoun, IA

Built 1900 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 11

FM

Poor

Over: NORTH FABIUS CREEK

068152605, Davis, IA

Built 1970 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 140

FM

Poor

Over: MINERVA CREEK

086213003, Hardin, IA

Built 1972 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 550

FM 520TH ST

Poor

Over: PECHMAN CREEK

078062403, Johnson, IA

Built 1974 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 880

FM

Poor

Over: STREAM

069291701, Ringgold, IA

Built 1953 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 170

LOCAL F AVE

Poor

Over: FOUR MILE CREEK

093421302, Cherokee, IA

Built 1924 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 45

FM

Poor

Over: LITTLE SIOUX

099372901, Dickinson, IA

Built 1969 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 319

BUSH RD.

Poor

Over: BRUSH CREEK

093073503, Fayette, IA

Built 1957 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 275

LOCAL

Poor

Over: CREEK

084172812, Marshall, IA

Built 1916 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 123

MILLERS PATH

Poor

Over: STREAM

086430906, Woodbury, IA

Built 1947 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 50

FM

Poor

Over: PRAIRIE CREEK

082101402, Benton, IA

Built 1961 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 766

FM

Poor

Over: LOST BRANCH CREEK

071203008, Lucas, IA

Built 1984 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 50

FM

Poor

Over: LITTLE OCHEYEDAN RIVER

098402402, Osceola, IA

Built 1986 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 350

240TH STREET

Poor

Over: BUCHANAN CREEK

068362401, Page, IA

Built 1986 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 34

170TH STY

Poor

Over: UNNAMED CREEK

093101301, Fayette, IA

Built 1949 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 15

FM

Poor

Over: E NISHNABOTNA RIVER

074383601, Pottawattamie, IA

Built 1958 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 60

190TH ST

Poor

Over: WAPSIPINICON RIVER

092111901, Bremer, IA

Built 1976 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 727

FM

Poor

Over: FLINT RIVER

071042204, Des Moines, IA

Built 1974 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 670

FM THRUSH AVE

Poor

Over: MAYNES CREEK

091191702, Franklin, IA

Built 1971 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 236

F AVE NORTHWEST

Poor

Over: CEDAR RIVER

000000000, Linn, IA

Built 1979 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 2,193

K53 DOGWOOD AVE

Poor

Over: MCCANDLESS CLEGHORN

085462402, Monona, IA

Built 1970 Load: 33.5 t ADT: 20

SE 5TH ST

Poor

Over: YEADER CREEK

078242700, Polk, IA

Built 1976 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 4,717

LOCAL LEGNO

Poor

Over: CREEK

099082404, Winneshiek, IA

Built 1913 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 11

FREEMAN AVE

Poor

Over: SMALL STREAM

088102602, Buchanan, IA

Built 1950 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 21

FM 340TH ST

Poor

Over: LITTLE SIOUX RIVER

096371103, Clay, IA

Built 1963 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 2,573

W MT VERNON RD

Poor

Over: TRIB TO CEDAR RIVER

90-13-28-01-20, Black Hawk, IA

Built 1940 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 25

LOCAL

Poor

Over: SMALL STREAM

084E41004, Jackson, IA

Built 1986 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 26

LOCAL

Poor

Over: NO LIZARD CK DD #168

091312301, Pocahontas, IA

Built 1960 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 50

E66

Poor

Over: SALT CREEK

082132403, Tama, IA

Built 1976 Load: 33.9 t ADT: 638

Showing 19,151-19,200 of 20,753 bridges

Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges Editorial.

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). A "structurally deficient" rating is a repair-priority signal, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult a qualified civil engineer before making decisions based on this data.