3rd Ave WB
Carrying 3rd Ave WB over GW RR
.15 Mi W of Jct 119, Boulder, Colorado
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: 3rd Ave WB
The 3rd Ave WB bridge in Boulder, Colorado carries 3rd Ave WB over GW RR. It was built in 1974, making it 52 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 3 sections, stretching 37.7 meters (124 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 9,116 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Colorado bridges. It is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 6/9. 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. Its NBI inventory load rating is 30.0 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How 3rd Ave WB compares
Live comparison across Colorado.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1974
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 37.7 m (124 ft)
- Deck Width
- 13.5 m (44 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 9,116 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- LONG-3RDWB-GWRR
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration that may require priority repair.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
How to read this record
3rd Ave WB 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 3rd Ave WB 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 3rd Ave WB?
3rd Ave WB in Boulder, Colorado has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is 3rd Ave WB inspected?
3rd Ave WB'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 9,116 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. 3rd Ave WB 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 3rd Ave WB?
3rd Ave WB has an NBI inventory load rating of 30.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining 3rd Ave WB?
3rd Ave WB is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
How old is 3rd Ave WB and does age affect safety?
3rd Ave WB was built in 1974, making it 52 years old.
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.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.