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

US 34 ML

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK

E. EDGE OF BRUSH, Morgan, CO

Built 1991 Load: 62.4 t ADT: 3,800

Douglas Street

Fair

Over: Pine Ridge Gulch

80 Ft S of First Street, Moffat, CO

Built 1980 Load: 62.4 t ADT: 339

12TH STREET

Fair

Over: GRAND VALLEY CANAL

1 BLK N OF BOOKCLIFF AVE, Mesa, CO

Built 1975 Load: 62.4 t ADT: 15,465

ORCHARD AVENUE

Fair

Over: INDIAN WASH

JUST E OF NORMANDY DR, Mesa, CO

Built 1986 Load: 62.5 t ADT: 7,414

COUNTY RD 34

Fair

Over: FIRST CREEK

2.5 MI E OF COUNTY RD 217, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1950 Load: 62.6 t ADT: 129

I 25 ML

Fair

Over: LAKE CANAL

11.3 MI N OF JCT SH 34, Larimer, CO

Built 1966 Load: 62.6 t ADT: 55,000

SH 52 ML

Fair

Over: LOWER BOULDER CANAL

4.5 MI E OF JCT US 287, Weld, CO

Built 1963 Load: 62.6 t ADT: 14,000

US 34 ML

Fair

Over: BOX ELDER CREEK

9 MI E OF JCT 34D GREELEY, Weld, CO

Built 1999 Load: 62.7 t ADT: 7,000

SH 121 ML

Fair

Over: BURNS DRAW

3.4 MI S OF JCT SH 470, Jefferson, CO

Built 1968 Load: 62.8 t ADT: 22,000

7TH AVENUE

Fair

Over: BOXELDER CREEK TRIBUTARY

.1 MI E OF IMBODEN RD, Arapahoe, CO

Built 2002 Load: 63.1 t ADT: 265

I 25 ML

Fair

Over: CACHE LA POUDRE DITCH

11.3 MI N OF JCT US 34, Larimer, CO

Built 1966 Load: 63.2 t ADT: 55,000

COUNTY ROAD 0

Fair

Over: TRIB. OF TWO BUTTES CRK

1.0 MI N OF CR KK, Baca, CO

Built 1950 Load: 63.3 t ADT: 21

SH 75 ML

Fair

Over: DUTCH CREEK

1.7 MI SW OF JCT US 85, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1984 Load: 63.3 t ADT: 13,000

GARDEN OF GODS RD

Fair

Over: N BRANCH DOUGLAS CREEK

INTERSECTION WITH ELKTON, El Paso, CO

Built 1986 Load: 63.4 t ADT: 34,029

County Road 44

Fair

Over: Elk River

3.8 Mi W of Co Rd 129, Routt, CO

Built 1985 Load: 63.5 t ADT: 579

COUNTY RD 53.5

Fair

Over: TRIB. BURRO CANYON CREEK

5.3 MI N OF SH12, Las Animas, CO

Built 1936 Load: 63.6 t ADT: 64

CR/N75 NOEL RD

Fair

Over: SURFACE CREEK

.1 MI W OF SH 65, Delta, CO

Built 1988 Load: 63.6 t ADT: 167

72ND AVENUE

Fair

Over: FARMERS HIGHLINE CANAL

0.5 MI WEST OF INDIANA ST, Jefferson, CO

Built 1995 Load: 63.7 t ADT: 6,062

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: CURECANTI CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Gunnison, CO

Built 2002 Load: 63.8 t ADT: 71

US 24 ML

Fair

Over: CAMP CREEK

ECHO LANE US HIGHWAY 24, El Paso, CO

Built 1960 Load: 64.1 t ADT: 6,100

COUNTY ROAD 77

Fair

Over: SYNDER CREEK

2.9 MI SE OF JEFFERSON, Park, CO

Built 2006 Load: 64.2 t ADT: 352

SH 470 ML WBND

Fair

Over: SH 8 BEAR CREEK

MORRISON RD. INTERCHANGE, Jefferson, CO

Built 1989 Load: 64.3 t ADT: 35,000

US 491ML

Fair

Over: YELLOW JACKET CREEK

13.8 MI NW OF JCT US 160, Montezuma, CO

Built 1962 Load: 64.5 t ADT: 3,900

Concrete Tank Rd.

Fair

Over: Drainage ditch

S of Inter. at OConnell, El Paso, CO

Built 2009 Load: 64.5 t ADT: 50

I 70 FRONTAGE

Fair

Over: DRAW SR

0.1 MI W OF WB DOTSERO EX, Eagle, CO

Built 1935 Load: 64.8 t ADT: 17,000

US6RMP &UNIONB

Fair

Over: LIGHT RAIL

UNION BLVD S OF 6TH/US 6, Jefferson, CO

Built 2010 Load: 64.8 t ADT: 63,000

Horizon Avenue

Fair

Over: Rock Creek

.1 MI East 120th, Boulder, CO

Built 2000 Load: 64.8 t ADT: 1,043

US 385 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

8 MI. NO. OF BURLINGTON, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1997 Load: 64.9 t ADT: 740

HANCOCK EXPWY

Fair

Over: LOCAL DRAINAGE

AT INT OF SILVER HAWK AVE, El Paso, CO

Built 1998 Load: 65.1 t ADT: 7,259

OFF RAMP TO TOWER

Fair

Over: SECOND CREEK TRIB

SW OF PENA BLVD/TOWER RD, Denver, CO

Built 1999 Load: 65.4 t ADT: 7,303

COUNTY ROAD 77

Fair

Over: JEFFERSON CREEK

5.7 MI SE OF JEFFERSON, Park, CO

Built 2006 Load: 65.8 t ADT: 349

SH 14 ML

Fair

Over: OWL CREEK

5 MI E OF JCT US 85, Weld, CO

Built 1992 Load: 65.9 t ADT: 2,300

SH 470 ML EBND

Fair

Over: SH 8 BEAR CREEK

MORRISON RD. INTERCHANGE, Jefferson, CO

Built 1989 Load: 66.0 t ADT: 35,000

152ND AVENUE

Fair

Over: SPEER CANAL

0.5 MI E OF I-76, Adams, CO

Built 1980 Load: 66.2 t ADT: 7,679

FAIRPLAY ROAD

Fair

Over: BIG SANDY CREEK

0.5 MI N of SWEET ROAD, El Paso, CO

Built 1957 Load: 66.2 t ADT: 167

COUNTY ROAD 221

Fair

Over: DRY WASH

.2 MI W OF BUNRT MILL RD, Pueblo, CO

Built 1988 Load: 66.2 t ADT: 75

Timberline Road

Fair

Over: Spring Creek

100 Ft S of Prospect Rd., Larimer, CO

Built 1986 Load: 66.6 t ADT: 36,342

I 25 ML+SERVICE RD

Fair

Over: BOX ELDER CREEK

5.1 MI N OF JCT SH 14, Larimer, CO

Built 1989 Load: 66.8 t ADT: 28,000

COUNTY ROAD 6E

Fair

Over: SAN LUIS CANAL

1.2 MI N OF CR 1S, Rio Grande, CO

Built 2005 Load: 66.9 t ADT: 886

9th Street

Fair

Over: Boulder Creek

0.08 Mi N of Arapahoe Ave, Boulder, CO

Built 1978 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 14,000

US 24 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

0.5 MI S.E OF JCT SH 82 S, Lake, CO

Built 1937 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 4,000

US 50 SERVICE RD

Fair

Over: DRAW SR

2.6 MI E OF JCT SH 96, Pueblo, CO

Built 1982 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 716

COUNTY ROAD 2

Fair

Over: MUSTANG CREEK

6.3 MI S OF CR H, Otero, CO

Built 1967 Load: 67.0 t ADT: 154

24TH STREET

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

INTERSECTION TUX/ 24TH, Pueblo, CO

Built 1981 Load: 67.3 t ADT: 3,872

ARAPAHOE DRIVE

Fair

Over: LITTLES CREEK

AT WEST STERNE PKWY, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1999 Load: 67.4 t ADT: 1,967

US 40 ML

Fair

Over: BARRON GULCH

2.1 MI NW OF HUGO, Lincoln, CO

Built 1991 Load: 67.6 t ADT: 3,700

Interlocken Loop

Fair

Over: Ped. Underpass/Drainage

Just N of Interlocken Blv, Broomfield, CO

Built 2000 Load: 67.8 t ADT: 12,852

O FALLON PARK

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

O FALLON PARK, Denver, CO

Built 2003 Load: 67.8 t ADT: 8

US 287 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

IN BOULDER COUNTY, Boulder, CO

Built 1994 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 39,000

YOSEMITE STREET

Fair

Over: PARKVIEW AVENUE

JUST WEST OF I-25, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1983 Load: 68.0 t ADT: 10,915

Showing 4,951-5,000 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.