These Iowa Counties Have the Most Bridges in Dire Need of Repair [GALLERY]

As the road construction season dwindles and fall sets in, it likely has you wondering, what will be torn apart next summer?

For most in Iowa, roadwork is just a burden, but it does have its importance, and when it comes to bridge repair, it could potentially save lives.

Iowa has some pretty tough bridges in need of repair.

The Bad Bridges of Iowa

Across Iowa, dozens of counties are facing a growing infrastructure crisis: a large portion of their bridges are in dire need of repair.

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According to data from the Federal Highway Administration compiled by Stacker, nearly one in three bridges nationwide needs either major repairs or replacement. In Iowa, some counties are seeing nearly half of their bridges in “poor” condition.

The report, based on statistics current to mid-2022, ranks Iowa counties by two key metrics: the percentage of bridges classified as in “poor” condition, and the total area (square meters) of those bridges.

Counties without any bridges or with no bridges rated poor were not included in the analysis.

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You can see the counties with the worst bridges below.

The Biggest Offenders

At the top of the list is Ringgold County, where 43.8% of the county’s bridges are in poor condition.

Even more concerning is that these bridges make up 31.0% of the total bridge area in Ringgold County.

Close behind is Adams County with 42.5% of its bridges failing inspection, and Poweshiek County at 42.3%.

Other counties grappling with extensive repair needs include Marshall, Decatur, Taylor, Madison, Mahaska, Guthrie, Cass, Tama, Appanoose, Cherokee, Lucas, Sac, Union, Winnebago, Buena Vista, Clarke, and Jasper.

In many cases, more than one‐third of all bridges in those counties are flagged as unsafe or in need of replacement.

The cost to bring all deteriorating bridges nationwide up to standard is estimated at over $54 billion.

Iowa represents a significant portion of that need.

What Bad Bridges Mean for Iowa Motorists

For residents, the implications are serious: bridges in poor condition pose risks for safety, cause inconveniences in commuting, and may hurt local economies by deterring travel and transport.

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For many counties, repairs will require major investment, prioritization, and often external funding sources.

These are the 20 counties in Iowa with the worst bridges.