Iowa ranks first in the US for structurally deficient bridges

DAVENPORT, Iowa (WQAD) - A new report shows Iowa is the number one state in the country for structurally deficient bridges, with some of the most concerning being in eastern Iowa.

The concerning bridges include the Edgewood Road bridge over the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, and the Highway 1 bridge over the Iowa River in Iowa City.

According to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, the Centennial bridge connecting Davenport and Rock Island is the most traveled structurally deficient bridge in the state.

The Interstate 280 bridge in that area is in the number two spot.

A bridge is structurally deficient when the driving surface or other support pieces are in poor or work conditions.

But despite the rankings, officials say drivers should not be worried.

“If there’s any concern about safety and the traveling public, they will either post a bridge for load, which means they’ll restrict the weight, or maybe truck traffic that crosses the bridge or in extreme cases, they may shut down a lane or the entire bridge,” ARTBA Chief Economist Alison Black said.

Officials say many cities may struggle to raise the money for necessary repairs, especially in rural areas.

The report says nearly 15,000 bridges across Iowa need some sort of improvement.

In Illinois, that number is just over 4,000.

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