Bridge conditions in Palo Alto County, Iowa
135 inventoried bridges · 21 rated poor · 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
Of the 135 Palo Alto County bridges in the federal inventory, 21 carry a poor rating. That 15.6% share is roughly 2x the national average.
- 21 of the 135 bridges in Palo Alto County, Iowa, are rated in poor condition (15.6%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory, as of .
- 35 bridges (25.9%) are rated good and 79 (58.5%) fair.
- The median Palo Alto County bridge was built in 1978.
- The busiest poor-rated bridge is FM over Ss #98 (built 1973), carrying about 120 vehicles a day.
Good 25.9% · Fair 58.5% · Poor 15.6% of 135 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 Ss #98 | 1973 | 120 | Poor |
| Local over Stream | 1927 | 90 | Poor |
| FM over Dd | 1946 | 72 | Poor |
| FM over Stream | 1972 | 60 | Poor |
| Local over Dd 175 | 1960 | 51 | Poor |
| FM over Old Channel Des Moines R | 1956 | 46 | Poor |
| Local over Dd 41 | 1948 | 46 | Poor |
| Local over Dd | 1915 | 41 | Poor |
| Local over Stream | 1962 | 41 | Poor |
| FM over Stream | 1977 | 31 | Poor |
| FM over Stream | 1931 | 30 | Poor |
| Local over Drainage Ditch | 1975 | 26 | Poor |
| Local over Stream | 1965 | 26 | Poor |
| Local over Dd 98 | 1972 | 21 | Poor |
| Local over Lizard Creek | 1921 | 21 | Poor |
| Local over Dd 21 | 1960 | 21 | Poor |
| Local over Dd 175 | 1926 | 21 | Poor |
| FM over Dd #123 | 1966 | 20 | Poor |
| Local over Dd 63 | 1958 | 15 | Poor |
| Local over DD6 | 1917 | 11 | Poor |
| Local over Stream | 1915 | 5 | Poor |
Busiest bridges in the county
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 18 & Ia 4 over W Fork Des Moines River | 1965 | 4,890 | Good |
| US 18 over Drainage Ditch | 1958 | 3,500 | Fair |
| US 18 over Cylinder Creek | 2023 | 3,390 | Good |
| US 18 over Prairie Creek | 1923 | 2,510 | Fair |
| Ia 4 over W. Fork Des Moines River | 1958 | 2,460 | Fair |
| Ia 4 over Drainage Ditch | 1918 | 2,040 | Fair |
| Ia 4 over Drainage Ditch #41 | 2000 | 2,040 | Fair |
| Ia 4 over Drainage Ditch | 1976 | 2,010 | Good |
| Ia 4 over Ditch #49 | 2018 | 2,010 | Good |
| FM over Dd 84 | 2002 | 1,008 | Good |
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.