Bridge conditions in Des Moines County, Iowa
173 inventoried bridges · 28 rated poor · 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
Des Moines County has 28 bridges rated poor out of 173 inventoried, a 16.2% share that puts it well above the national rate of about 7%.
- 28 of the 173 bridges in Des Moines County, Iowa, are rated in poor condition (16.2%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory, as of .
- 68 bridges (39.3%) are rated good and 77 (44.5%) fair.
- The median Des Moines County bridge was built in 1976.
- The busiest poor-rated bridge is Main Street South over Small Creek (built 1886), carrying about 3,705 vehicles a day.
Good 39.3% · Fair 44.5% · Poor 16.2% of 173 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Street South over Small Creek | 1886 | 3,705 | Poor |
| FM over Little Flint River | 1968 | 2,000 | Poor |
| FM over Flint River | 1960 | 1,210 | Poor |
| FM over Knotty Creek | 1980 | 1,019 | Poor |
| X 99 over Hawkeye Creek | 1938 | 770 | Poor |
| So Main St over Cascade Landing | 1896 | 743 | Poor |
| FM over Long Creek | 1966 | 690 | Poor |
| FM over Long Creek | 1966 | 690 | Poor |
| FM over Flint River | 1974 | 670 | Poor |
| Local Road over Brush Creek | 1927 | 393 | Poor |
| FM over Flint River | 1941 | 280 | Poor |
| FM over Dry Branch | 1970 | 240 | Poor |
| FM over Backwater (pump Station) | 1972 | 240 | Poor |
| FM over Paul Creek | 1957 | 130 | Poor |
| FM over Big Hollow Creek | 1956 | 90 | Poor |
| FM over Long Creek | 1950 | 60 | Poor |
| FM over Small Stream | 1949 | 60 | Poor |
| FM over Cottonwood Drain | 1953 | 60 | Poor |
| FM over Cold Spring Branch | 1959 | 40 | Poor |
| Local over Small Stream | 1970 | 26 | Poor |
| Local over Small Stream | 1970 | 26 | Poor |
| Local over East Fork Crooked Creek | 1950 | 26 | Poor |
| FM over Hawkeye Dolbee Channel | 1953 | 25 | Poor |
| Local over Small Stream | 1985 | 11 | Poor |
| Hawkeye Rd over Hawkeye Creek | 1910 | 11 | Poor |
| Middle Road over Brush Creek | 1946 | 10 | Poor |
| Plant Road Fs-12 over Long Creek | 2003 | 10 | Poor |
| Middle Road over Spring Creek | 1910 | 5 | Poor |
Busiest bridges in the county
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 61 over US 34 | 1973 | 16,700 | Fair |
| US 61 over Brush Creek | 1995 | 10,200 | Good |
| Gear Ave over US 34 | 1976 | 9,700 | Fair |
| US 34 over Mississippi River | 1994 | 7,500 | Fair |
| US 34 over Bur Jun RR AND CITY STS | 1971 | 7,500 | Fair |
| EB US 34 over Broadway Ave | 1976 | 6,550 | Fair |
| WB US 34 over Broadway Ave | 1976 | 6,550 | Fair |
| EB US 34 over W Burlington Ave | 1976 | 6,550 | Fair |
| WB US 34 over W Burlington Ave | 1976 | 6,550 | Good |
| Curran St over US 34 | 1973 | 6,500 | 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.