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%.

Condition Distribution

Bridge inventory deck-condition mix — Iowa (FHWA NBI)

Iowa36.534476943092564%38.39444899532597%20.011564593070883%20.011564593070883%GoodFairPoorStructurally Deficient
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 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.

270TH STREET

Structurally Deficient

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

Structurally Deficient

Over: MUD CREEK

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

Built 1948 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 11

LOCAL - 700TH

Structurally Deficient

Over: TRIB TROUBLESOME CREEK

077351402, Cass, IA

Built 1983 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 11

LOCAL - DAYTONA

Structurally Deficient

Over: BUCK CREEK

077361903, Cass, IA

Built 1980 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 35

100TH ST.

Structurally Deficient

Over: UNION CREEK

083E20101, Clinton, IA

Built 1900 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 78

All Bridges in Iowa

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: ALLOWAY CREEK

080180402, Jasper, IA

Built 1965 ADT: 16

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: ALLOWAY CREEK

081182801, Jasper, IA

Built 1937 ADT: 16

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: SNIPE CREEK

081190302, Jasper, IA

Built 1941 ADT: 11

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: MUD CREEK

081210203, Jasper, IA

Built 1939 ADT: 15

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: WOLF CREEK

081211603, Jasper, IA

Built 1947 ADT: 21

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: INDIAN CREEK

081211803, Jasper, IA

Built 1914 ADT: 20

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: TROY CREEK

071092207, Jefferson, IA

Built 1915 ADT: 5

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: MITCHELL CREEK

072101608, Jefferson, IA

Built 1962 ADT: 80

FM

Structurally Deficient

Over: ROCK CREEK

071110402, Jefferson, IA

Built 1963 ADT: 50

ORANGE BLVD

Structurally Deficient

Over: MIDDLE WALNUT CREEK

073092104, Jefferson, IA

Built 1922 ADT: 15

UTAH AVE SE

Structurally Deficient

Over: STREAM

078053302, Johnson, IA

Built 1990 ADT: 46

SW JAMES AVE

Structurally Deficient

Over: STREAM

078072202, Johnson, IA

Built 1956 ADT: 41

IOWA JOHNSON RD

Structurally Deficient

Over: STREAM

079081904, Johnson, IA

Built 1925 ADT: 11

LANDIS RD

Structurally Deficient

Over: WAPSIPINICON RIVER

084031903, Jones, IA

Built 1909 ADT: 78

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: CEDAR CREEK

076133504, Keokuk, IA

Built 1952 ADT: 46

LOCAL RD

Structurally Deficient

Over: SOUTH FORK ENGLISH RIVER

077101106, Keokuk, IA

Built 1960 ADT: 31

FM 320TH ST

Structurally Deficient

Over: BUFFALO CREEK

097281201, Kossuth, IA

Built 1958 ADT: 309

FM 180TH AVE

Structurally Deficient

Over: BUFFALO CREEK

097281202, Kossuth, IA

Built 1965 ADT: 159

LOC 130TH AVE

Structurally Deficient

Over: DD #185

100280702, Kossuth, IA

Built 1900 ADT: 5

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: BRANCH OF SUGAR CREEK

068073203, Lee, IA

Built 1940 ADT: 16

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: HELL HOLLOW CREEK

069051203, Lee, IA

Built 1958 ADT: 71

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: SMALL STREAM

073030702, Louisa, IA

Built 1920 ADT: 11

V AVE

Structurally Deficient

Over: BUFFINGTON CREEK

074052302, Louisa, IA

Built 1893 ADT: 11

FM

Structurally Deficient

Over: STREAM

075050802, Louisa, IA

Built 1963 ADT: 60

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: BR OF CEDAR CREEK

071200205, Lucas, IA

Built 1937 ADT: 16

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: HONEY CREEK

071201503, Lucas, IA

Built 1928 ADT: 5

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: BR OF LITTLE WHITEBREAST

071210101, Lucas, IA

Built 1949 ADT: 11

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: CHARITON RIVER

071220203, Lucas, IA

Built 1934 ADT: 16

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: HONEY CREEK

071222404, Lucas, IA

Built 1951 ADT: 5

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: FIVE MILE CREEK

071223101, Lucas, IA

Built 1948 ADT: 47

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: FIVE MILE CREEK

071223102, Lucas, IA

Built 1940 ADT: 16

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: DR TO FIVE MILE CREEK

071223102, Lucas, IA

Built 1940 ADT: 16

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: WOLF CREEK

071223504, Lucas, IA

Built 1900 ADT: 20

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: CHARITON RIVER

071231303, Lucas, IA

Built 1946 ADT: 11

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: LITTLE WHITEBREAST CREEK

072210403, Lucas, IA

Built 1969 ADT: 26

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: BR OF WHITEBREAST CREEK

072222905, Lucas, IA

Built 1938 ADT: 11

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: SOUTH OTTER CREEK

072230502, Lucas, IA

Built 1999 ADT: 11

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: BR OF SOUTH OTTER CREEK

072230805, Lucas, IA

Built 1966 ADT: 41

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: WHITEBREAST CK,BR OF

072233107, Lucas, IA

Built 1938 ADT: 11

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: WHITEBREAST CREEK, BR OF

072233202, Lucas, IA

Built 1956 ADT: 21

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: WHITEBREAST CREEK

072233204, Lucas, IA

Built 1955 ADT: 11

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: BR CARRUTHERS CREEK

073200102, Lucas, IA

Built 1930 ADT: 21

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: BR CARRUTHERS CREEK

073200505, Lucas, IA

Built 2003 ADT: 11

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: CARRUTHERS CREEK

073201104, Lucas, IA

Built 1951 ADT: 11

310TH AVE

Structurally Deficient

Over: CARRUTHERS CREEK

073201504, Lucas, IA

Built 1939 ADT: 26

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: CARRUTHERS CREEK

073201005, Lucas, IA

Built 1940 ADT: 5

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: BR N CEDAR CREEK

C00010110, Lucas, IA

Built 1940

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: BRANCH OF LONG BRANCH CR

073210402, Lucas, IA

Built 1954 ADT: 11

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: BR LITTLE WHITEBREAST CK

073210606, Lucas, IA

Built 1994 ADT: 41

LOCAL

Structurally Deficient

Over: BR OF ENGLISH CREEK

073211202, Lucas, IA

Built 1951 ADT: 21

Showing 19,551-19,600 of 20,753 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | SD bridges explained →
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.

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.