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

240TH ST

Poor

Over: HAUGH CREEK

094100801, Fayette, IA

Built 1940 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 20

LOCAL

Poor

Over: ROCK CREEK

081180102, Jasper, IA

Built 1967 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 26

LOCAL

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE

075262809, Madison, IA

Built 1952 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 15

LOCAL

Poor

Over: OLIVE BRANCH CREEK

074140208, Mahaska, IA

Built 1956 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 80

LOCAL

Poor

Over: PILOT CREEK

093330201, Pocahontas, IA

Built 1976 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 30

LOCAL

Poor

Over: STREAM

088431004, Woodbury, IA

Built 1979 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 15

LOCAL

Poor

Over: STREAM

089443401, Woodbury, IA

Built 1915 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 80

LOCAL

Poor

Over: CREEK

081342403, Audubon, IA

Built 1950 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 5

320TH ST

Poor

Over: E BR WAPSINONOC CR

079032901, Cedar, IA

Built 1975 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 90

GRANT AVE

Poor

Over: PIONEER CREEK

082030604, Cedar, IA

Built 1976 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 34

160TH ST

Poor

Over: N BR VOLGA RIVER

093092101, Fayette, IA

Built 1950 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 34

LOCAL

Poor

Over: BRUSH CREEK

081170202, Jasper, IA

Built 1988 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 5

LOCAL

Poor

Over: STREAM

071110608, Jefferson, IA

Built 1900 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 30

FM

Poor

Over: STREAM

076131303, Keokuk, IA

Built 1972 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 30

S23 200TH AVE

Poor

Over: BNSF RR

072221402, Lucas, IA

Built 1937 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 1,090

RITCHIE RD

Poor

Over: MUD CREEK

091443103, Plymouth, IA

Built 1948 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 15

TAMARACK ROAD

Poor

Over: OVER BNSF RR

077411905, Pottawattamie, IA

Built 1930 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 1,325

ROSEWOOD ROAD

Poor

Over: SECOND CREEK

076380601, Pottawattamie, IA

Built 1949 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 15

FM

Poor

Over: BRANCH SALT CREEK

083131801, Tama, IA

Built 1968 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 59

FM

Poor

Over: STREAM

087E22104, Dubuque, IA

Built 1941 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 25

FM

Poor

Over: CREEK

090E12205, Dubuque, IA

Built 1920 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 310

V AVE

Poor

Over: STOE CREEK

092101504, Fayette, IA

Built 1949 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 44

ROOSEVELT AVE

Poor

Over: DD

091432802, Plymouth, IA

Built 1900 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 15

DIAMOND AVE

Poor

Over: BEAVER CREEK

093482702, Plymouth, IA

Built 1900 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 26

LOCAL

Poor

Over: EAST BRANCH SALT CREEK

084130302, Tama, IA

Built 1937 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 33

LOCAL

Poor

Over: SMALL STREAM

073290801, Union, IA

Built 1980 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 11

LOCAL

Poor

Over: CREEK

070110510, Van Buren, IA

Built 1974 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 15

PIERCE ST

Poor

Over: PAINTER CREEK

075253005, Warren, IA

Built 1945 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 11

LOCAL 560TH ST.

Poor

Over: ROCK CREEK

091411601, Cherokee, IA

Built 1946 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 20

LOCAL ROAD

Poor

Over: MIDDLE FORK BEAVER CREEK

089172902, Grundy, IA

Built 1948 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 39

LOCAL

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE

077271602, Madison, IA

Built 1940 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 90

J-28 / 170TH ST

Poor

Over: WEST TARKIO RIVER

069380901, Page, IA

Built 1952 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 120

280TH ST

Poor

Over: PERRY CREEK

090470401, Plymouth, IA

Built 1900 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 20

IA 92

Poor

Over: INDIAN CREEK

0.7 Mi. W of Jct. SR M-47, Pottawattamie, IA

Built 1938 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 1,180

LOCAL

Poor

Over: N BUFFALO CREEK

100253602, Winnebago, IA

Built 1949 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 11

FM

Poor

Over: OPOSSUM CREEK

084101501, Benton, IA

Built 1959 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 1,090

E-W 7TH AVE N

Poor

Over: WILLOW CREEK

092210900, Cerro Gordo, IA

Built 1900 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 26

170TH ST

Poor

Over: VOLGA RIVER

093091703, Fayette, IA

Built 1941 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 39

LOCAL

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH

087242101, Hamilton, IA

Built 1923 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 30

LOCAL

Poor

Over: BRANCH OF SALT CREEK

085152604, Tama, IA

Built 1983 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 33

LOCAL

Poor

Over: SALT CREEK

085153304, Tama, IA

Built 1940 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 20

LOCAL/VICTORIA

Poor

Over: SMALL

074362101, Cass, IA

Built 1959 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 41

FM - YANKTON

Poor

Over: WATERWAY

074363301, Cass, IA

Built 1958 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 50

LOCAL/RICHLAND

Poor

Over: WATERWAY

075363301, Cass, IA

Built 1959 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 40

LOCAL/RICHLAND

Poor

Over: WATERWAY

075363301, Cass, IA

Built 1959 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 40

LOCAL

Poor

Over: SPRING BRANCH CREEK

094132703, Chickasaw, IA

Built 1961 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 91

LOCAL

Poor

Over: JACK CREEK

099323401, Emmet, IA

Built 1955 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 15

FM

Poor

Over: BOONE RIVER

089253101, Hamilton, IA

Built 1964 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 499

2680 270TH ST

Poor

Over: EAST BRANCH IA RIVER

096230701, Hancock, IA

Built 1958 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 11

LOCAL

Poor

Over: IOWA RIVER (SOUTH FORK)

087210201, Hardin, IA

Built 1956 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 29

Showing 19,751-19,800 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.