OTTUMWA — Iowa’s bridges are ranked the fourth worst in the nation and six of these structures are found in southern Iowa.

A study was recently conducted by The Road Information Program (TRIP), based in Washington, D.C. It examined and compared the nation’s bridges in each state.

Carolyn Bonifas, associate director of research for TRIP and author of the study, said the research was done to make sure that the drivers and decision-makers understand the conditions of these bridges.

While all the bridges listed in the report are considered “deficient,” this could be misconstrued.

“All these bridges are still safe because they are maintained and repaired on a regular basis. If they weren’t safe they would either be posted for lower weight vehicles or closed entirely,” Bonifas said.

The report found that 21 percent of the bridges in Iowa are deficient, either because of deterioration of the deck or substructure.

Six of the bottom 50 bridges in the state can be found in southern Iowa — four in Jefferson County; two in Wapello County.

Ingrid Teboe, field services coordinator for the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Fairfield office, said there are plans for the four named bridges in Jefferson County that are featured in the report.

The four bridges are: Mitchell Creek Bridge, ranked 12th in the study; Burlington Northern Santa Fe Bridge, ranked 25th; Big Cedar Creek, ranked 36th; and Shirtz Creek, ranked 37th. All four bridges are located off U.S. Highway 34 near the new bypass, outside of Fairfield.

“The four bridges are coming up for replacement after the [Fairfield] bypass is completed. If we were to repair them before the bypass was finished, it wouldn’t do much good,” Teboe said.

The bypass is scheduled to be completed this November and the bridges will follow soon after.

“I think we will be having a bid letting for the four bridges in January 2009,” Teboe said.

She said while there’s no doubt the bridges are in need of repair, the structures are safe.

“These bridges are not a safety hazard. The list is very misleading. What we call deficient may be just surface level damage or other routine repairs,” she said.

If there are repairs that are needed, she said, the DOT does what it needs to take care of it. She said they use the list as a way to keep track of structural improvements that need to take place.