Total bridges
102
Public highway bridges in La Plata County
County profile · official public datasets
La Plata County, CO
102 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 54.9% rated Good, 43.1% Fair, 2% Poor.
- 102
- Public bridges
- 54.9%
- Good condition
- 2%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
La Plata County posts a top-quartile lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.
- Top 23%
- lowest Poor share in state
- 2%
- Poor-condition share
- 102
- public highway bridges
- 1986
- avg year built
Poor is an FHWA condition category from the lowest applicable component rating (4 or below), not a live crossing-safety or closure decision. Rankings cover counties with at least five public highway bridges.
La Plata County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, La Plata County ranks #15 of 64 Colorado counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 2%). La Plata County, Colorado contains 102 public highway bridges. Roughly 54.9% are rated “Good,” 43.1% “Fair,” and 2% “Poor.” Poor means the lowest applicable deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert rating is 4 or below on the 0–9 NBI scale. It is a condition category, not a live safety or closure decision.
Responsible agencies inspect covered bridges on risk-based intervals under current NBIS rules and submit inventory data to FHWA annually. The list below shows every NBI-tracked bridge in the county. Use the “Sort by” controls to change the ordering, and click any row for its reported inspection date, traffic count, and condition fields.
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See methodology for full definitions.
Good condition
54.9%
56 of 102 rated 7-9
Fair condition
43.1%
44 of 102 rated 5-6
Poor condition
2%
2 of 102 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#15 of 64
Among Colorado counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 102 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 54.9% (56)
Fair 43.1% (44)
Poor 2% (2)
La Plata County's Poor-condition bridges carry 283 vehicle crossings a day
That is 0.1% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 2% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 142 crossings a day against 2,653 for a Good-condition one. A Poor rating is a condition category, not a closure or a live safety judgement; it means the lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below.
Computed over the 101 of 102 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
28.4% of La Plata County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
29 of the 102 bridges with a recorded construction year were built in 1974 or earlier. Age alone is not a defect: a well-maintained older bridge can rate Good, and 54.9% of this county's inventory does. Even so, this older cohort is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn, which is why the age profile below matters alongside the condition split above.
Cutoff derives from the 2024 release year minus a 50-year design life. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
One structure carries 67.5% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
CO RD 245 over FLORIDA RIVER, built 1984, carries 191 vehicles a day, the most of any Poor-rated structure here. The county's Poor-condition exposure is concentrated rather than evenly spread, so the 2-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 283 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When La Plata County's bridges were built
102 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- 1910s 1
1910–1919
1 bridges
- 1920s 1
1920–1929
1 bridges
- 1930s 1
1930–1939
1 bridges
- 1940s 3
1940–1949
3 bridges
- 1950s 5
1950–1959
5 bridges
- 1960s 7
1960–1969
7 bridges
- 1970s
1970–1979
18 bridges
- 1980s
1980–1989
17 bridges
- 1990s
1990–1999
22 bridges
- 2000s
2000–2009
10 bridges
- 2010s
2010–2019
14 bridges
- 2020s 3
2020–2029
3 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 1990s, when 22 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 21.6% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 25 to 34 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1986) matches the Colorado average (1982).
How La Plata County compares with Colorado's closest counties by inventory size
The 5 Colorado counties nearest La Plata County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 2% Poor share is the 1st-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1986 against a peer-group mean of 1978 is 8 years newer.
Showing the 5 closest of 63 Colorado counties eligible for comparison.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baca County | 106 | 21.7% | 72.6% | 5.7% | 1963 |
| La Plata County (this page) | 102 | 54.9% | 43.1% | 2% | 1986 |
| Gunnison County | 100 | 36% | 57% | 7% | 1981 |
| Routt County | 96 | 43.8% | 50% | 6.3% | 1984 |
| Huerfano County | 94 | 30.9% | 62.8% | 6.4% | 1975 |
| Grand County | 88 | 43.2% | 51.1% | 5.7% | 1986 |
Each share is of that county's own total tracked bridges; peers are the counties with 5 or more bridges whose inventory size is closest to La Plata County's. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
Nationwide counties with similar inventory size or average build year
Two NBI-derived peer sets for La Plata County, both outside Colorado so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside CO (102 bridges here).
- Clarke County, GA · 102 bridges
- Pulaski County, IN · 102 bridges
- Clark County, KS · 102 bridges
- Sibley County, MN · 102 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside CO (1986 here).
- El Paso County, TX · avg 1986 · 783 bridges
- Caddo County, LA · avg 1986 · 682 bridges
- Polk County, IA · avg 1986 · 545 bridges
- Canadian County, OK · avg 1986 · 493 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
Good-condition bridges (56)
IRR# SH 151 ML
GoodOver: LOS PINOS RIVER
IN IGNACIO, La Plata, CO
Built 2005 Load: 5.8 t ADT: 3,400
NO DATA ENTERED
GoodOver: ROAD
NO DATA ENTERED, La Plata, CO
Built 2013 Load: 17.5 t ADT: 50
US 550 ML
GoodOver: HERMOSA CREEK
10.6 MI NO OF JCT US 160, La Plata, CO
Built 1964 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 6,200
Tipple Ave.
GoodOver: Lightner Creek
0.1 Mi N of US160, La Plata, CO
Built 2020 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 604
US 160 RAMP
GoodOver: US 160 ML WILSON GULCH
.5 MI EAST OF HWY 550, La Plata, CO
Built 2010 Load: 24.6 t ADT: 2,685
US 160 ML WB RMP
GoodOver: WILSON GULCH & Ped Path
EAST of INT US 550/160, La Plata, CO
Built 2010 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 604
BAYFIELD PARKWAY
GoodOver: LOS PINOS RIVER
0.15 W Mill Street, La Plata, CO
Built 2017 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 3,060
US 550 NBND ML
GoodOver: DRAINAGE WAY
1.2 MI FROM NM BORDER, La Plata, CO
Built 2010 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 4,050
9TH STREET
GoodOver: ANIMAS RIVER
250 W OF SH 550, La Plata, CO
Built 1979 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 4,312
IRR# COUNTY RD 213
GoodOver: LA POSTA CANYON
5.9 MI NW OF SH 550, La Plata, CO
Built 1997 Load: 30.7 t ADT: 1,225
2ND AVENUE
GoodOver: JUNCTION CREEK
JUST N OF 24TH STREET, La Plata, CO
Built 1989 Load: 31.2 t ADT: 1,232
IRR# COUNTY RD 510
GoodOver: FLORIDA RIVER
.15 MI W OF CR 225A, La Plata, CO
Built 1994 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 572
US 550 ML
GoodOver: GULCH A
0.4 MI S OF US160, La Plata, CO
Built 2023 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,800
IRR BIA RTE 159
GoodOver: PINE RIVER CANAL
3 KM S 10 KM E OF IGNACIO, La Plata, CO
Built 1998 Load: 32.6 t ADT: 10
COUNTY ROAD 141
GoodOver: WILDCAT CANYON
JUST S OF SH160, La Plata, CO
Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,182
COUNTY ROAD 207
GoodOver: LIGHTNER CREEK
.2 MI N OF SH 160, La Plata, CO
Built 2013 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,000
COUNTY ROAD 225A
GoodOver: LONG HOLLOW CREEK
.3 MI S OF SH 160, La Plata, CO
Built 2011 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,689
COUNTY ROAD 501
GoodOver: BEAR CREEK
5.3 MI N OF BAYFIELD/MP 5, La Plata, CO
Built 2009 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,533
COUNTY ROAD 527
GoodOver: BEAVER CREEK
2.1 MI NE OF BAYFIELD, La Plata, CO
Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 300
COUNTY RD 509
GoodOver: KING DITCH
AT BAYFIELD, La Plata, CO
Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 50
THREE SPRINGS BLVD
GoodOver: TRAVERSE WASH
0.6 MI N of US160, La Plata, CO
Built 2004 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,427
CONFLUENCE AVE
GoodOver: TRAVERSE WASH
0.8 MI N of US160, La Plata, CO
Built 2004 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,588
US 550 ML
GoodOver: GULCH B
0.3 MI S OF US160, La Plata, CO
Built 2023 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,800
US 550 ML
GoodOver: WILSON GULCH/PED PATH
US160/550 Interchange, La Plata, CO
Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,207
IRR# COUNTY RD 214
GoodOver: ANIMAS RIVER
.1 MI S OF CR 213, La Plata, CO
Built 1987 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 647
COUNTY ROAD 501
GoodOver: VALLECITO CRK DIVERSION
0.3 MI E OF N VALLECITO, La Plata, CO
Built 1995 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 749
IRR# COUNTY RD 522
GoodOver: ALLISON DITCH
1 MI W OF CR 523, La Plata, CO
Built 1993 Load: 33.8 t ADT: 127
US 550 NBND RMP
GoodOver: US160 ML WILSON GULCH
DURANGO, La Plata, CO
Built 2010 Load: 33.9 t ADT: 3,545
COUNTY ROAD 250
GoodOver: ANIMAS RIVER
.2 MI E OF SH 550, La Plata, CO
Built 1989 Load: 34.1 t ADT: 457
COUNTY ROAD 203
GoodOver: HERMOSA CREEK
.1 MI W of SH 550, La Plata, CO
Built 1989 Load: 34.8 t ADT: 454
COUNTY RD 509
GoodOver: DRY CREEK
1.6 MI SW OF BAYFIELD, La Plata, CO
Built 1990 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 1,028
32ND STREET
GoodOver: ANIMAS RIVER
.2 MI E OF SH 550, La Plata, CO
Built 1974 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 10,111
IRR# COUNTY RD 119
GoodOver: LA PLATA RIVER & CANAL
1.6 MI W OF SH 140, La Plata, CO
Built 1990 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 202
COUNTY RD 309A
GoodOver: SALT CREEK
JUST S OF CR 307, La Plata, CO
Built 1995 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 405
County Road D
GoodOver: Towaoc Canal
6.4 mi SW of Cortez, La Plata, CO
Built 1990 Load: 37.9 t
BAYFIELD PARKWAY
GoodOver: LOS PINOS RIVER OVERFLOW
0.5 W Mill Street, La Plata, CO
Built 2017 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 3,060
IRR# COUNTY RD 516
GoodOver: DRY CREEK
5.3 MI S OF SH 160, La Plata, CO
Built 1993 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 455
NORTH STREET
GoodOver: LOS PINOS RIVER DIVERSIO
IN BAYFIELD, La Plata, CO
Built 1997 Load: 38.7 t ADT: 164
COUNTY ROAD 240
GoodOver: RED CREEK
JUST N OF MI MARKER 10, La Plata, CO
Built 2001 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 2,952
COUNTY ROAD 213
GoodOver: ANIMAS RIVER
.5 MI S OF SH 160, La Plata, CO
Built 2004 Load: 40.1 t ADT: 3,800
US 550 SBnd ML
GoodOver: DRAW
1.3 MI N of NM Border, La Plata, CO
Built 1999 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 4,050
COUNTY ROAD 248
GoodOver: FLORIDA RIVER
.5 MI SW OF CR 240, La Plata, CO
Built 1992 Load: 40.3 t ADT: 50
PRIVATE LAND ACESS
GoodOver: LIGHTNER CREEK AR
W. EDGE OF DURANGO, La Plata, CO
Built 1970 Load: 40.6 t ADT: 12,000
US 160 WB ML
GoodOver: WILDLIFE CROSSING/DRAIN
23.8 MI E OF JCT US 550, La Plata, CO
Built 2015 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 5,000
US 160 EB ML
GoodOver: WILDLIFE CROSSING/DRAIN
23.8 MI E OF JCT US 550, La Plata, CO
Built 2015 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 5,000
COUNTY ROAD 228
GoodOver: FLORIDA RIVER
.3 MI SW OF CR 225, La Plata, CO
Built 1990 Load: 43.3 t ADT: 921
IRR# COUNTY RD 310
GoodOver: FLORIDA RIVER
.3 MI SE OF SH 550, La Plata, CO
Built 1977 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 2,119
NORTH BRIDGE RD
GoodOver: VALLECITO CREEK
1.8 MI N VALLECITO LAKE, La Plata, CO
Built 1971 Load: 47.3 t ADT: 40
COUNTY ROAD 501
GoodOver: LOS PINOS RIVER
7.2 MI NNW OF BAYFIELD, La Plata, CO
Built 1945 Load: 49.2 t ADT: 2,112
IRR# COUNTY RD 334
GoodOver: ALLISON DITCH
.5 MI E OF CR 336, La Plata, CO
Built 1997 Load: 50.4 t ADT: 86
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges
Every figure on PlainBridges 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. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.