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Bridge conditions in Clarke County, Iowa

168 inventoried bridges · 54 rated poor · 2025 National Bridge Inventory

United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled August 20, 2026

About one in 3 bridges in Clarke County is rated in poor condition: 54 of 168 on the federal inventory, one of the higher shares in Iowa.

54 of the 168 bridges in Clarke County, Iowa, are rated in poor condition (32.1%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory, as of August 20, 2026.
48 bridges (28.6%) are rated good and 66 (39.3%) fair.
The median Clarke County bridge was built in 1979.
The busiest poor-rated bridge is FM over Walnut Creek (built 1976), carrying about 459 vehicles a day.

Good 28.6% · Fair 39.3% · Poor 32.1% of 168 bridges

Bridges rated poor

Every bridge in the county with a poor rating, busiest first. Poor means a major component is rated 4 or lower on FHWA's 0-9 scale; it is a repair flag, not a closure notice.

Bridge	Built	Vehicles/day	Condition
FM over Walnut Creek	1976	459	Poor
FM over West Creek	1958	459	Poor
FM over Otter Creek	1969	319	Poor
FM over South West Creek	1960	141	Poor
FM over Branch Bee Creek	1985	131	Poor
Mill St over Drainage	1985	121	Poor
FM over South West Creek	1978	89	Poor
Local over Local Creek	1968	71	Poor
Local over White Breast Creek	1971	60	Poor
FM over Branch Long Creek	1964	60	Poor
Local over Branch West Creek	1980	60	Poor
Local over Creek	1980	60	Poor
FM over White Breast Creek	1975	45	Poor
Local over Small Creek	1900	40	Poor
FM over Branch Otter Creek	1951	40	Poor
Local over South River	1900	40	Poor
Sherman St over Drainage	1900	37	Poor
Local over Chariton Creek	1900	34	Poor
175TH Ave over Stream	1976	34	Poor
FM over West Creek	1966	34	Poor
FM over West Creek	1965	29	Poor
Local over East Long Creek	1986	26	Poor
Local over West Creek	1949	26	Poor
Local over South River	1979	26	Poor
Local over Chariton CR	1986	20	Poor
Local over Chariton Creek	1971	20	Poor
Local over Brush Creek	1981	20	Poor
Local over Local Creek	1968	20	Poor
Local over Small Stream	1900	20	Poor
Local over Otter Creek	1984	20	Poor
Local over North White Breast Creek	1982	15	Poor
Local over So White Breast Creek	1981	15	Poor
Local over Chariton CR	1960	15	Poor
Local over Chariton CR	1960	15	Poor
Local over Branch Bee Creek	1955	15	Poor
FM over Branch Long Creek	1952	15	Poor
Local over Small Creek	1972	15	Poor
Local over South White Breast Creek	1985	15	Poor
Local over Stream	1977	11	Poor
FM over Branch Long Creek	1966	11	Poor
Local over White Breast Creek	1969	11	Poor
Local over Otter Creek	1980	11	Poor
Leg Not Open over Small	1975	11	Poor
Local over South River	1900	11	Poor
Local over West Creek	1976	11	Poor
Oakwood St over West Creek	1952	11	Poor
Local over Small Stream	1900	11	Poor
Local over South West Creek	1900	11	Poor
Local over Small Stream	1900	11	Poor
Local over Small Stream	1900	11	Poor
Local over Br White Breast Creek	1969	5	Poor
Local over East Long Creek	1900	5	Poor
Local over East Long Creek	1977	5	Poor
Local over South River	1983	5	Poor

Busiest bridges in the county

Bridge	Built	Vehicles/day	Condition
I-35 over Drainage Ditch	1957	18,600	Fair
I 35 SB over South West Creek	2013	9,550	Fair
I 35 SB over West Creek	2013	9,550	Good
NB I-35 over South West Creek	2012	9,400	Good
NB I-35 over West Creek	2012	9,400	Fair
SB I-35 over White Breast Creek	1969	8,850	Fair
NB I-35 over White Breast Creek	1969	8,650	Fair
EB US 34 over I-35	2009	4,300	Good
WB US 34 over I-35	2010	4,300	Good
US 34 over Drainage Ditch	1971	3,630	Fair

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025. Counts cover inventoried highway bridges over 20 feet; ratings are reported by the state DOT.

All of Iowa: Iowa bridge conditions by county · every download on the data page.

Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.