Iowa’s Bridges are Among the Most Dangerous in the Country

Gephyrophobia is a real thing. It's defined as an anxiety disorder of specific phobia for bridges. It can be a crippling fear for some people, especially when faced with the necessary move of having to drive across a bridge. Oddly, I used to be scared of bridges when I was a kid, but once I got to driving age, I lost the fear. I guess the necessity factor played a role into it.

That said, I can't help but have that pivotal premonition sequence in Final Destination 5 enter my mind whenever I cross one.

READ MORE: This Long, Swinging Bridge is Hiding in the Woods of Iowa

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Iowa's Bridges are Not Up to Snuff:

A new study from Jordan Law looked at bridge safety across the United States. The results were not favorable for Iowa, who ranked in the bottom third for bridge safety in the entire country. It's a damning statement when one-fifth of the bridges in the Hawkeye State are poor and/or structurally deficient, but it's the reality at the moment.

Jordan Law's research analyzed the number of bridges in each state that are in "poor condition," using data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Such a determination about any bridge is made due to the presence of cracks, damage, and other instabilities that could lead to some kind of structural failure.

What State Has the Worst Bridges in the Country?:

Before we look at Iowa's bridges in particular, the state with the worst bridges proved to be Rhode Island. The tiniest state in the country has over 3,000 bridges, with 683 being in "poor" condition. That's almost 22% of the bridges in the state.

How Many Bridges in Iowa are Deemed "Poor?:"

Iowa ended up with the third highest percentage of dangerous bridges in the country, at 19.33%. Iowa has one of the largest bridge networks in the country, per Jordan Law, with over 96,000 in the entire state. Of those, 18,626 bridges are rated as "poor." The harsh winters and funding challenges across multiple counties and jurisdictions were cited as contributing factors to this problem.

States with the Highest Percentage of Dangerous Bridges:

READ MORE: Is This the Worst Road in Iowa?

Furthermore, here is a look at the states with the lowest percentage of dangerous bridges across the country.

States with the Lowest Percentage of Dangerous Bridges: