State profile · Below median Poor share

Colorado bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in Colorado.

8,965
Public bridges
35.7%
Good condition
4.8%
Poor condition

Colorado holds 8,965 public highway bridges (#27 of 52 by inventory) with a 4.82% Poor share (#34 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 4.8% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 19 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

8,965

Public highway bridges in Colorado

Good Condition

35.7%

3,197 bridges rated 7-9

-14.3pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

4.8%

432 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-2.7pp vs national avg 7.5%

Colorado vs national bridge condition

Colorado - Good condition share 35.7%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Colorado - Poor-condition share 16.1%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Colorado in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Colorado has 8,965 bridges and a 4.8% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #19 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Colorado has 8,965 bridges and a 4.8% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #19 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

Colorado vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

8,965 27th of 54 higher than 27 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. 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 · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for Colorado

The highlighted point is Colorado: 8,965 bridges and 4.82% in Poor condition, rank #19 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Colorado on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Connecticut: 4,365 bridges · 4.72% Poor
  • Ohio: 26,729 bridges · 4.74% Poor
  • Colorado: 8,965 bridges · 4.82% Poor
  • Idaho: 4,616 bridges · 4.90% Poor
  • Indiana: 19,495 bridges · 5.22% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Colorado

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 8,965 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Colorado’s inventory

State agency holds 38.8% of the 8,965 public highway bridges filed under Colorado in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Colorado’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 8.5% of the 8,965 bridges with a recorded original year in Colorado. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Colorado35.7%59.5%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Colorado (FHWA NBI)

Counties (64)

Adams 535 Alamosa 16 Arapahoe 391 Archuleta 44 Baca 106 Bent 68 Boulder 311 Broomfield 66 Chaffee 84 Cheyenne 61 Clear Creek 77 Conejos 62 Costilla 39 Crowley 28 Custer 20 Delta 64 Denver 458 Dolores 28 Douglas 263 Eagle 174 El Paso 686 Elbert 85 Fremont 137 Garfield 167 Gilpin 19 Grand 88 Gunnison 100 Hinsdale 31 Huerfano 94 Jackson 47 Jefferson 464 Kiowa 31 Kit Carson 130 La Plata 102 Lake 17 Larimer 559 Las Animas 207 Lincoln 129 Logan 182 Mesa 319 Mineral 26 Moffat 80 Montezuma 61 Montrose 118 Morgan 192 Otero 195 Ouray 39 Park 55 Phillips 27 Pitkin 62 Prowers 137 Pueblo 264 Rio Blanco 54 Rio Grande 71 Routt 96 Saguache 41 San Juan 13 San Miguel 59 Sedgwick 64 Summit 57 Teller 27 Washington 75 Weld 614 Yuma 49

Colorado vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Colorado on the same metric.

CT

Connecticut

4.72% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$4,365

OH

Ohio

4.74% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$26,729
Selected

CO

Colorado

4.82% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,965

ID

Idaho

4.90% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$4,616

IN

Indiana

5.22% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$19,495

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Colorado

Six lowest-condition bridges in Colorado, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

144TH AVENUE

Poor

Over: LOST CREEK

1.2 MILES WEST OF SH 79, Adams, CO

Built 1960 Load: 0.0 t

County Road 79.0

Poor

Over: Salado Creek

2.8 Mi N of CR 64, Las Animas, CO

Built 2020 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 2

County Road 59

Poor

Over: N. Sterling Outlet Canal

0.3 Mi N of Co Rd 58, Logan, CO

Built 1940 Load: 1.4 t ADT: 6

COTTONWOOD ST

Poor

Over: NORTH CRESTONE CREEK

IN TOWN OF CRESTONE, Saguache, CO

Built 1991 Load: 2.3 t ADT: 65

CO Rd 32

Poor

Over: Feeder Ditch

0.28 MI E of Co Rd 75, Las Animas, CO

Built 1970 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 7

POTOMAC STREET

Poor

Over: OBRIAN CANAL

0.2 MILE NORTH OF SH 2, Adams, CO

Built 1940 Load: 3.8 t ADT: 190

All Bridges in Colorado

NFSR 104.D

Fair

Over: HOMESTAKE TUNNEL OUTLET

MAY QUEEN CG, Lake, CO

Built 1984 ADT: 41

County Road 31

Fair

Over: Beavr Crk LPB Canal

0.4 Mi North of US Hwy 6, Morgan, CO

Built 1950 Load: 1.9 t ADT: 37

PARKING LOT ACCESS

Fair

Over: FOUNTAIN CREEK

JUST N OF MANITOU STREET, El Paso, CO

Built 1932 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 149

COUNTY ROAD M

Fair

Over: HORSE CREEK

0.2 MI EAST OF SH 71, Lincoln, CO

Built 1965 Load: 3.5 t ADT: 37

County Road 37

Fair

Over: N Fork Frenchman Creek

0.1 Mi. No. of US Hwy 6, Phillips, CO

Built 1967 Load: 3.5 t ADT: 48

County Road 3

Fair

Over: Tributary to Vega Creek

0.5 M. E. of St. Hwy. 71, Washington, CO

Built 1966 Load: 4.4 t ADT: 6

COUNTY ROAD 43

Fair

Over: ARIKAREE RIVER

1.0 MILE SOUTH OF ROAD 3X, Lincoln, CO

Built 1979 Load: 4.7 t ADT: 63

NAVAJO ROAD

Fair

Over: PIEDRA RIVER

0.3 MILES W OF SH 151, Archuleta, CO

Built 1913 Load: 4.8 t ADT: 927

COUNTY RD 37.7

Fair

Over: JAROSA CREEK

0.2 MI S OF CR 42, Las Animas, CO

Built 1985 Load: 5.4 t ADT: 32

COUNTY ROAD 47

Fair

Over: ARKANSAS RIVER

.2 MI NW OF US 50, Fremont, CO

Built 1930 Load: 6.1 t ADT: 132

County Road 26A

Fair

Over: Imogene Creek

2.1 Miles from CR26, Ouray, CO

Built 2010 Load: 6.2 t ADT: 9

COUNTY ROAD 20R

Fair

Over: DOLORES RIVER

14.1 MI NW OF SH 141, San Miguel, CO

Built 1960 Load: 6.2 t ADT: 2

COUNTY ROAD 29

Fair

Over: N. FK. SMOKY HILL RIVER

0.5 MILES SOUTH OF ROAD C, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1930 Load: 6.4 t ADT: 7

COUNTY RD 6.8

Fair

Over: UNNAMED NATURAL DRAINAGE

.3 MI W OF CR 121.9, Las Animas, CO

Built 1940 Load: 6.4 t ADT: 44

COUNTY RD 3A.7

Fair

Over: BIG SANDY CREEK TRIB

JUST EAST OF ROAD 34, Lincoln, CO

Built 1960 Load: 6.4 t ADT: 19

County Road 18

Fair

Over: Sand Creek

0.3 Mi E of Co Rd S, Washington, CO

Built 1978 Load: 6.4 t ADT: 25

PARK AVENUE

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

AT INTER. WITH SH 8, Jefferson, CO

Built 1926 Load: 6.5 t ADT: 220

Co Rd 54A

Fair

Over: Middle Boulder Creek

Castle Rock Pull Off, Boulder, CO

Built 1917 Load: 6.6 t ADT: 66

COMMERCE ROAD

Fair

Over: BIG SANDY CREEK

.5 MI NW OF BLASINGAME RD, El Paso, CO

Built 1935 Load: 6.7 t ADT: 100

County Road Y

Fair

Over: N. Fork Arikaree River

0.6 Mi. N. of Co. Rd. 0, Washington, CO

Built 1967 Load: 6.8 t ADT: 3

RAMP TO I 76 EBND

Fair

Over: I 76 ML R

4.6 MI E OF JCT SH 144, Morgan, CO

Built 1993 Load: 6.9 t ADT: 3,100

92ND AVENUE

Fair

Over: US 36 ML

JUST W OF SHERIDAN BLVD, Jefferson, CO

Built 1983 Load: 7.0 t ADT: 23,806

SUMMER HOME ROAD

Fair

Over: CEMENT CREEK

25 MI. N. GUNNISON CO., Gunnison, CO

Built 1949 Load: 7.1 t ADT: 28

COUNTY ROAD 8

Fair

Over: I 76 ML BNSF RR

5 MI E OF JCT SH 7, Weld, CO

Built 1983 Load: 7.1 t ADT: 1,153

GUBBINS-JOHNSON AC

Fair

Over: BAKER CREEK

0.6 MILES WEST OF U.S. RO, Grand, CO

Built 1983 Load: 7.3 t ADT: 50

GRANDVIEW AVE.

Fair

Over: FOUR MILE CREEK

JUST E OF STEINMEIER AVE, Fremont, CO

Built 1940 Load: 7.3 t ADT: 1,541

County Road M

Fair

Over: Vega Creek

2.20 Mi South of US 36, Washington, CO

Built 1967 Load: 7.3 t ADT: 21

REST AREA ACCESS

Fair

Over: SHOSHONE INTAKE AR

HANGING LAKE REST STOP, Garfield, CO

Built 1937 Load: 7.6 t ADT: 353

COUNTY RD 42.0

Fair

Over: APISHAPA RIVER

0.2 MI S OF CR 43.7, Las Animas, CO

Built 1930 Load: 7.7 t ADT: 54

BOULDER CREEK PATH

Fair

Over: BOULDER CREEK

4Mi Canyon Path at SH119, Boulder, CO

Built 2020 Load: 8.0 t ADT: 11

COUNTY RD 71.1

Fair

Over: POWELL ARROYO CREEK

0.2 MI N OF KENTUCKY AVE, Las Animas, CO

Built 1935 Load: 8.0 t ADT: 109

NFSR 344

Fair

Over: SOUTH COTTONWOOD CREEK

8.9 MI SW OF BUENA VISTA, Chaffee, CO

Built 1954 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 160

SLATE CREEK RD

Fair

Over: BLUE RIVER

0.4 MI WEST OF HIGHWAY 9, Summit, CO

Built 1923 Load: 8.1 t ADT: 13

SH 157 ML

Fair

Over: PEARL STREET

2.9 MI N OF US 36, Boulder, CO

Built 1985 Load: 8.2 t ADT: 43,000

HIGHWAY 110

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

1.9 MI E OF ELLICOTT HWY, El Paso, CO

Built 1935 Load: 8.2 t ADT: 90

County Road 104

Fair

Over: Miller Creek

2.8 Mi East of US Hwy 40, Moffat, CO

Built 1930 Load: 8.2 t ADT: 18

COUNTY ROAD 6400

Fair

Over: HAPPY CANYON CREEK

2 MI OF US 550, Montrose, CO

Built 1971 Load: 8.3 t ADT: 260

County Road 21

Fair

Over: Little Thompson River

0.7 Mi N of S County Line, Larimer, CO

Built 1970 Load: 8.3 t ADT: 1,985

County Road DD

Fair

Over: Trib. of Surveyor Creek

.70 Mi North of CR 41, Washington, CO

Built 2008 Load: 8.3 t ADT: 96

IRR# COUNTY RD 334

Fair

Over: ALLISON DITCH

.5 MI E OF CR 523, La Plata, CO

Built 1940 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 138

COUNTY ROAD MM

Fair

Over: WILEY DRAINAGE

0.3 MI W OF CR 3, Prowers, CO

Built 1960 Load: 8.7 t ADT: 314

CLARKSON ST

Fair

Over: HIGHLINE CANAL

.1 MILE N OF PANAMA DRIVE, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1950 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 2,529

ACADEMY BLVD NB

Fair

Over: I 25 ML

ACADEMY/I25, El Paso, CO

Built 1957 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 12,905

ACADEMY BLVD SB

Fair

Over: I 25 ML

ACADEMY/I25, El Paso, CO

Built 1957 Load: 8.8 t ADT: 9,915

COUNTY ROAD 9

Fair

Over: WILD HORSE CREEK

2.0 MI N OF CR V, Cheyenne, CO

Built 1966 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 15

COUNTY ROAD 19

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK

2 MI N OF CR W, Prowers, CO

Built 1960 Load: 9.0 t ADT: 30

HUSTED ROAD

Fair

Over: NON-POTABLE RESERVOIR #1

100 N. OF NON-POTABLE RE, El Paso, CO

Built 2004 Load: 9.1 t ADT: 15

County Road 51

Fair

Over: New Cache La Poudre Cana

0.4 Mi N of St Hwy 392, Weld, CO

Built 1982 Load: 9.2 t ADT: 360

COUNTY ROAD 11

Fair

Over: FT. LYON CANAL

2 MI N OF SH 50, Bent, CO

Built 1940 Load: 9.3 t ADT: 92

COUNTY ROAD E

Fair

Over: SMITH CANYON

.5 MI SW OF SH 109, Otero, CO

Built 1966 Load: 9.3 t ADT: 83

Showing 1-50 of 8,965 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What to do with this

Use Colorado's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Colorado and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Colorado Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; 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.