Total bridges
188
Public highway bridges in Socorro County
County profile · official public datasets
Socorro County, NM
188 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 16.5% rated Good, 76.1% Fair, 7.4% Poor.
- 188
- Public bridges
- 16.5%
- Good condition
- 7.4%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Socorro County pairs a higher-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with an older average build year than the state inventory.
- 26th
- of 32 on Poor share
- 7.4%
- Poor-condition share
- 188
- public highway bridges
- 1961
- 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.
Socorro County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Socorro County ranks #26 of 32 New Mexico counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 7.4%). Socorro County, New Mexico contains 188 public highway bridges. Roughly 16.5% are rated “Good,” 76.1% “Fair,” and 7.4% “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
16.5%
31 of 188 rated 7-9
Fair condition
76.1%
143 of 188 rated 5-6
Poor condition
7.4%
14 of 188 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#26 of 32
Among New Mexico counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 188 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 16.5% (31)
Fair 76.1% (143)
Poor 7.4% (14)
Socorro County's Poor-condition bridges carry 58,234 vehicle crossings a day
That is 8.1% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 7.4% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry more traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 4,160 crossings a day against 4,091 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 188 of 188 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
77.1% of Socorro County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
145 of the 188 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 16.5% 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 15.6% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
I-25 SBL over MADERA CANYON, built 1939, carries 9,099 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 14-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 58,234 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When Socorro County's bridges were built
188 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- 1930s
1930–1939
52 bridges
- 1940s 13
1940–1949
13 bridges
- 1950s
1950–1959
26 bridges
- 1960s
1960–1969
39 bridges
- 1970s 18
1970–1979
18 bridges
- 1980s 20
1980–1989
20 bridges
- 1990s 8
1990–1999
8 bridges
- 2000s 1
2000–2009
1 bridges
- 2010s 11
2010–2019
11 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 1930s, when 52 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 27.7% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 85 to 94 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1961, 12 years older than the New Mexico average of 1973.
How Socorro County compares with New Mexico's closest counties by inventory size
The 5 New Mexico counties nearest Socorro County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 7.4% Poor share is the 5th-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1961 against a peer-group mean of 1974 is 13 years older.
Showing the 5 closest of 31 New Mexico counties eligible for comparison.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socorro County (this page) | 188 | 16.5% | 76.1% | 7.4% | 1961 |
| Sandoval County | 182 | 40.7% | 54.4% | 4.9% | 1979 |
| San Miguel County | 175 | 41.1% | 50.9% | 8% | 1972 |
| San Juan County | 174 | 36.8% | 56.9% | 6.3% | 1977 |
| Rio Arriba County | 160 | 47.5% | 46.3% | 6.3% | 1973 |
| Colfax County | 140 | 37.9% | 57.1% | 5% | 1969 |
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 Socorro 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 Socorro County, both outside New Mexico so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside NM (188 bridges here).
- Pope County, AR · 188 bridges
- Kennebec County, ME · 188 bridges
- Coos County, NH · 188 bridges
- Baker County, OR · 188 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside NM (1961 here).
- Westchester County, NY · avg 1961 · 774 bridges
- Tehama County, CA · avg 1961 · 450 bridges
- Berkshire County, MA · avg 1961 · 450 bridges
- Schuylkill County, PA · avg 1961 · 368 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
Fair-condition bridges (143)
I-25 NBL/SBL
FairOver: UNNAMED WATERWAY
7.1 MI N of exit 124, Socorro, NM
Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,162
I-25 NBL/SBL
FairOver: UNNAMED WATERWAY
8.2 MI N OF I-25 EXIT 124, Socorro, NM
Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,162
I-25 NBL/SBL
FairOver: UNNAMED WATERWAY
9.7 MI N OF I-25 EXIT 124, Socorro, NM
Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,162
I-25 NBL/SBL
FairOver: UNNAMED WATERWAY
2.2 MI S OF JCT US-380, Socorro, NM
Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,162
I-25 NBL/SBL
FairOver: UNNAMED WATERWAY
1.7 MI S OF JCT US-380, Socorro, NM
Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,162
I-25 NBL/SBL
FairOver: UNNAMED WATERWAY
13.5 MI N OF I-25 EXT 124, Socorro, NM
Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,162
I-25 NBL/SBL
FairOver: UNNAMED WATERWAY
2.2 MI N OF JCT US-380, Socorro, NM
Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 9,099
I-25 NBL
FairOver: MADERA CANYON
3.9 MI N OF JCT US-380, Socorro, NM
Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 9,099
FR-2037
FairOver: MADERA CANYON
1.3 MI S OF JCT NM-1/2037, Socorro, NM
Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 53
I-25 NBL/SBL
FairOver: UNNAMED WATERWAY
4.9 MI N OF JCT US-380, Socorro, NM
Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 9,099
I-25 NBL/SBL
FairOver: LOCAL ROAD
13.5 MILES N OF EXIT 156, Socorro, NM
Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 9,540
I-25 NBL
FairOver: Nogal Canyon
4.2 Mi N of Sierra CL, Socorro, NM
Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,165
I-25 SBL
FairOver: Nogal Canyon
4.2 Mi N of Sierra CL, Socorro, NM
Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,165
I-25 NBL
FairOver: UNNAMED WATERWAY
2.8 MI N OF JCT NM-107, Socorro, NM
Built 1966 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,638
I-25 NBL/SBL
FairOver: UNNAMED WATERWAY
0.2 MI S JCT NM-107/I-25, Socorro, NM
Built 1968 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,638
US-60
FairOver: WATER CANYON
13.2 MI E OF JCT NM-107, Socorro, NM
Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,337
NM-169
FairOver: ALAMOCITO CREEK
28.90 MI N OF JCT US-60, Socorro, NM
Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 811
I-25 SBL
FairOver: UNNAMED WATERWAY
2.8 MI N JCT NM-107/I-25, Socorro, NM
Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,638
I-25 SB
FairOver: UNNAMED WATERWAY
1.8 MI N OF Exit 124, Socorro, NM
Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,638
US-60
FairOver: JORDAN CANYON
8.8 MI E JCT NM107/US-60, Socorro, NM
Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,337
WSMR P RT 5
FairOver: STORM DRAINAGE
21 KM NW FROM R327B1, Socorro, NM
Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100
L-00012
FairOver: I-25 NB and SB
8.6 Mi N of Jct US-380, Socorro, NM
Built 1970 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 2,112
L-00012
FairOver: I-25 NBL and SBL
11.2 M N Jct I-25/ US-380, Socorro, NM
Built 1970 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 8,881
US-60
FairOver: HOP CANYON
0.1 MILES E OF JCT NM-107, Socorro, NM
Built 1988 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 2,243
US-380
FairOver: Rio Grande River
1.7 Mi E Jct I-25/US-380, Socorro, NM
Built 1950 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 1,852
LFCC O&M West
FairOver: LFCC
Lemitar NM, Socorro, NM
Built 1995 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 10
US-60
FairOver: Six Mile Canyon
7.75 M W Jct US-60/I-25, Socorro, NM
Built 1963 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 4,337
US-60
FairOver: BNSF RAILROAD
0.2 MI E OF JCT I-25, Socorro, NM
Built 1982 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 861
US-60
FairOver: Bear Canyon
7.2 Mi W Jct US-60/I-25, Socorro, NM
Built 1962 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 4,337
NM-169
FairOver: JARALOSA CREEK
16.0 M NW 60 AT MAGDALENA, Socorro, NM
Built 1978 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 811
Access Road
FairOver: Brown Arroyo
Luis Lopez NM, Socorro, NM
Built 1995 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 20
NM-47
FairOver: ABO ARROYO
2.1 MI N US-60/NM-47, Socorro, NM
Built 1974 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 1,188
Gravel Road
FairOver: Low Flow Channel
Bosque Del Apache N.W.R., Socorro, NM
Built 1995 Load: 37.3 t ADT: 20
US-60
FairOver: UNNAMED WATERWAY
1.0 MI W OF NM-47, Socorro, NM
Built 1940 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 558
US-380
FairOver: UNNAMED WATERWAY
20.1 MI W OF US54/CARRIZO, Socorro, NM
Built 1930 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 1,726
NM-1
FairOver: MATANZA ARROYO
0.6 M S SOCORRO CITY LIM., Socorro, NM
Built 1981 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 1,246
NM-169
FairOver: LA JENCIA CREEK
5.3 MI NW OF US-60, Socorro, NM
Built 1978 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 811
Gravel Road
FairOver: Low flow canal
Fort Craig NM, Socorro, NM
Built 1997 Load: 45.0 t ADT: 20
Gravel road
FairOver: Low Flow Canal
San Marcial NM, Socorro, NM
Built 1987 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 20
I-25 NBL
FairOver: US-60
Jct I-25/US-60 @ Bernardo, Socorro, NM
Built 1958 Load: 47.8 t ADT: 11,394
I-25 SBL
FairOver: US-60
JCT I-25/US-60 @ Bernardo, Socorro, NM
Built 1958 Load: 47.8 t ADT: 11,394
I-25 NBL
FairOver: Rio Salado
9.6 M N Jct NM-408/I-25, Socorro, NM
Built 1958 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 10,474
I-25 SBL
FairOver: Rio Salado
9.6 M N Jct NM-408/I-25, Socorro, NM
Built 1958 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 10,474
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.