A new interactive map on the Iowa Department of Transportation website offers Iowans a glimpse into the conditions of the state’s 24-thousand bridges.
The DOT’s Andrea Henry says the map is searchable by county, city or state legislative district and it indicates whether bridges are in good, fair or poor condition.
“We want to make sure people understand where the issues lie on the system and what we’re doing about those,” Henry says, “and to get a little glimpse into some of the resources necessary to be able to help us make decisions.”
The map was created to help elected officials make decisions about repairs, considering whether some bridges have become structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Henry says regular citizens can also check out bridges nearby.
“For the general public, they may be able to have an awareness of what bridges to avoid or where they may need to be concerned about any potential deterioration of a bridge condition,” Henry says. “However, really this map is primarily more for decision-makers.”
To see the map, visit the Iowa Department of Transportation website, click on the Performance tab at the left, and choose the Bridge Condition link.
(Thanks to Michael Leland, Iowa Public Radio)