SH 131 ML
Carrying SH 131 ML over UP RR
2 MI S OF OAK CREEK, Routt, Colorado
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
SH 131 ML in Routt, Colorado sits above 23% of rated Colorado bridges on inventory load rating (26 t), while its 1935 build year is earlier than 98% of Routt's recorded-year cohort (96 bridges).
SH 131 ML in Routt, Colorado is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1935, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 4. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Poor result describes the weakest reported component rather than the structure as a whole. No NBI category is a closure decision or a live crossing-safety verdict.
NBI record plate
Structure CO:C-09-Q
PRE-1950 · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · SUB-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-POOR Poor
Inspection-sheet codes from this record’s year, material family, spans, controlling component, ADT, inventory load, and NBI category, not a live closure verdict.
Bridge Snapshot: SH 131 ML
The SH 131 ML bridge in Routt, Colorado carries SH 131 ML over UP RR. It was built in 1935, making it 91 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1977, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 3 sections, stretching 44.1 meters (145 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 2,200 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Colorado bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order.
How SH 131 ML compares
Age against the county: built in 1935, earlier than 94 of Routt's 96 bridges with a recorded construction year (98%), against a county median build year of 1985. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Colorado bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (8,962 of 8,965 rated).
SH 131 ML vs every rated Colorado bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
26 Top 77% higher than 23% of 8,962 bridges
rated Colorado bridges, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more bridges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · August 2026
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Reported 0–9 component ratings from the FHWA NBI. The highlighted component is the lowest reported input to this record’s current condition category; it is not a closure or live crossing-safety decision.
Routt inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 96 bridges in this county. Orthogonal to this structure's component profile above: a county catalog share, not a live crossing-safety verdict.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1935
- Last Reconstructed
- 1977
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 44.1 m (145 ft)
- Deck Width
- 11.1 m (36 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 2,200 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- C-09-Q
Condition Analysis
- • At 6/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • At 4/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) is in poor shape, with advanced wear on file for this vintage.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
SH 131 ML is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare SH 131 ML against other structures in Routt and across Colorado. Colorado bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for SH 131 ML?
SH 131 ML in Routt, Colorado has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is SH 131 ML inspected?
SH 131 ML's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 2,200 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. SH 131 ML is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for SH 131 ML?
SH 131 ML has an NBI inventory load rating of 26.3 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining SH 131 ML?
SH 131 ML is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is SH 131 ML and does age affect safety?
SH 131 ML was built in 1935, making it 91 years old and last reconstructed in 1977.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Share this inspection record
Send this source-bounded record or download its data card. An NBI condition category is not a closure or live crossing-safety verdict.
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component ratings, ADT, and condition category on this page are copied from the NBI record for this structure; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.