Bridge conditions in Shelby County, Iowa
207 inventoried bridges · 18 rated poor · 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
Shelby County tracks close to typical: 18 of its 207 inventoried bridges (8.7%) are rated poor, against a national rate of about 7%.
- 18 of the 207 bridges in Shelby County, Iowa, are rated in poor condition (8.7%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory, as of .
- 78 bridges (37.7%) are rated good and 111 (53.6%) fair.
- The median Shelby County bridge was built in 1980.
- The busiest poor-rated bridge is F24 over Small Stream (built 1938), carrying about 417 vehicles a day.
Good 37.7% · Fair 53.6% · Poor 8.7% of 207 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| F24 over Small Stream | 1938 | 417 | Poor |
| FM over Small Stream | 1960 | 240 | Poor |
| FM over Silver Creek | 1960 | 131 | Poor |
| Local over Indian Creek | 1926 | 35 | Poor |
| Local over Mosquito Creek | 1917 | 35 | Poor |
| Local over Small Stream | 1959 | 35 | Poor |
| Local over Small Stream | 1960 | 30 | Poor |
| Local over E Branch W. Nish. River | 1920 | 26 | Poor |
| Local over Mosquito Creek | 1930 | 26 | Poor |
| Local over Elkhorn Creek | 1958 | 21 | Poor |
| Local over W. Nishnabotna | 1926 | 21 | Poor |
| Local over Keg Creek | 1924 | 20 | Poor |
| Local over Small Stream | 1976 | 15 | Poor |
| Local over Small Stream | 1950 | 11 | Poor |
| Local over Keg Creek | 1969 | 11 | Poor |
| Field Entrance over Small Stream | 1942 | 10 | Poor |
| Local over Small Stream | 1968 | 5 | Poor |
| Local over Pigeon Creek | 1947 | – | Poor |
Busiest bridges in the county
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 59 over Drainage Ditch | 1966 | 5,000 | Fair |
| US 59 over Drainage Ditch | 1970 | 4,940 | Fair |
| US 59 over West Nishnabotna River | 1970 | 4,940 | Fair |
| US 59 over Jensen Creek | 1968 | 4,680 | Fair |
| Ia 44 over West Nishnabotna River | 1978 | 3,960 | Fair |
| US 59 over Lyon Creek | 1970 | 3,240 | Fair |
| US 59 over Drainage | 1970 | 3,080 | Good |
| US 59 over Willow Creek | 1970 | 2,830 | Fair |
| Ia 44 over West Nishnabotna River | 1984 | 2,690 | Fair |
| Ia 44 over Silver Creek | 1985 | 2,090 | 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.