Bridge conditions in Van Buren County, Iowa
155 inventoried bridges · 49 rated poor · 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
Van Buren County has 49 bridges rated poor out of 155 inventoried, a 31.6% share that puts it well above the national rate of about 7%.
- 49 of the 155 bridges in Van Buren County, Iowa, are rated in poor condition (31.6%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory, as of .
- 37 bridges (23.9%) are rated good and 69 (44.5%) fair.
- The median Van Buren County bridge was built in 1972.
- The busiest poor-rated bridge is W40 over Des Moines River (built 1960), carrying about 970 vehicles a day.
Good 23.9% · Fair 44.5% · Poor 31.6% of 155 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| W40 over Des Moines River | 1960 | 970 | Poor |
| FM over Stream | 1956 | 260 | Poor |
| FM over Creek | 1966 | 70 | Poor |
| FM over Rock Creek | 1953 | 70 | Poor |
| Local over Trib of Des Moines River | 1954 | 62 | Poor |
| Local over Reeds CR | 1959 | 62 | Poor |
| Local over Creek | 1980 | 62 | Poor |
| Local over Trib Des Moines River | 1950 | 60 | Poor |
| Local over Creek | 1969 | 51 | Poor |
| FM over Trib Des Moines R | 1969 | 50 | Poor |
| Local over Creek | 1956 | 50 | Poor |
| FM over Creek | 1955 | 50 | Poor |
| Local over Little Lick Creek | 1972 | 47 | Poor |
| FM over Trib Des Moines River | 1920 | 45 | Poor |
| Local over Creek | 1955 | 41 | Poor |
| Local over Holcomb Creek | 1956 | 41 | Poor |
| Local over Trib to Holcomb Creek | 1976 | 40 | Poor |
| FM over Stream | 1976 | 40 | Poor |
| FM over Creek | 1977 | 40 | Poor |
| Local over Reeds Creek | 1967 | 35 | Poor |
| Local over Big Indian Creek | 1967 | 30 | Poor |
| Local over Small Stream | 1975 | 30 | Poor |
| Local over Trib Desmoines River | 1966 | 26 | Poor |
| Local over Small Stream | 1976 | 26 | Poor |
| Local over Trib Des Moines R | 1912 | 26 | Poor |
| Local over Creek | 1977 | 26 | Poor |
| Local over Creek | 1972 | 26 | Poor |
| 160TH Rd over Holcomb Creek | 1963 | 26 | Poor |
| FM over Creek | 1955 | 25 | Poor |
| Local over Stream | 1968 | 25 | Poor |
| Local over Creek | 1960 | 21 | Poor |
| Local over Big Indian Creek | 1960 | 21 | Poor |
| Local over Little Cedar Creek | 1961 | 21 | Poor |
| Local over Stream | 1930 | 21 | Poor |
| Local over Holcomb Creek | 1975 | 21 | Poor |
| FM over Chequest Creek | 1953 | 20 | Poor |
| Local over Creek | 1971 | 16 | Poor |
| Local over Trib Des Moines River | 1977 | 16 | Poor |
| Local over Creek | 1974 | 15 | Poor |
| Local over Creek | 1959 | 11 | Poor |
| Local over Creek | 1967 | 11 | Poor |
| Local over Coates CR | 1959 | 11 | Poor |
| Local over Creek | 1964 | 11 | Poor |
| Local over Creek | 1968 | 11 | Poor |
| Local over Small Tributary | 1977 | 11 | Poor |
| Local over Creek | 1968 | 11 | Poor |
| Field Entrance over Side Drainage (sdb) | 1976 | 10 | Poor |
| Local over Trib Desmoines River R | 1971 | 5 | Poor |
| Main St over Trib Des Moines River | 1965 | 5 | Poor |
Busiest bridges in the county
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ia 1 & Ia 16 over Little Lick Creek | 1967 | 2,320 | Fair |
| Ia 1 over Des Moines River | 2007 | 2,270 | Good |
| Ia 2 over Des Moines River | 2012 | 1,440 | Good |
| Ia 2 over Rock Creek | 1925 | 1,340 | Fair |
| Ia 2 over Stream | 1960 | 1,330 | Fair |
| Ia 2 over White Oak Creek | 1925 | 1,320 | Fair |
| Ia 16 over Stump Creek | 2003 | 1,190 | Good |
| Ia 2 over Fox River | 1969 | 1,130 | Fair |
| Ia 2 over Bone Run Creek | 1969 | 1,130 | Fair |
| Ia 2 over Big Indian Creek | 1969 | 1,130 | 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.