US 36 ML WBND
Carrying US 36 ML WBND over BOULDER CREEK
28th STREET IN BOULDER, Boulder, Colorado
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
US 36 ML WBND in Boulder, Colorado sits above 78% of rated Colorado bridges on inventory load rating (42 t), while its 1952 build year is earlier than 92% of Boulder's recorded-year cohort (311 bridges).
US 36 ML WBND in Boulder, Colorado is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1952, 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:D-15-AR
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · SUPER-LED · HEAVY-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- SUPER-LED Superstructure-led
- HEAVY-ADT Heavy ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy 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: US 36 ML WBND
The US 36 ML WBND bridge in Boulder, Colorado carries US 36 ML WBND over BOULDER CREEK. It was built in 1952, making it 74 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2005, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 3 sections, stretching 29.4 meters (96 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 18,000 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Colorado bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 5/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. At least one major component here scores 4 or below, which produces a Poor condition classification under FHWA's current reporting rules.
How US 36 ML WBND compares
Age against the county: built in 1952, earlier than 285 of Boulder's 311 bridges with a recorded construction year (92%), against a county median build year of 1990. 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).
US 36 ML WBND vs every rated Colorado bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
42 Top 22% higher than 78% 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.
Boulder inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 311 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
- 1952
- Last Reconstructed
- 2005
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 29.4 m (96 ft)
- Deck Width
- 10.4 m (34 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 18,000 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- D-15-AR
Condition Analysis
- • At 7/9, the deck (driving surface) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
US 36 ML WBND 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 US 36 ML WBND against other structures in Boulder 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 US 36 ML WBND?
US 36 ML WBND in Boulder, Colorado has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US 36 ML WBND inspected?
US 36 ML WBND'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 18,000 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US 36 ML WBND 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 US 36 ML WBND?
US 36 ML WBND has an NBI inventory load rating of 42.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US 36 ML WBND?
US 36 ML WBND is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US 36 ML WBND and does age affect safety?
US 36 ML WBND was built in 1952, making it 74 years old and last reconstructed in 2005.
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.
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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.