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

E-470 NB

Good

Over: 120th Avenue

34.08 MI FROM I25, Adams, CO

Built 2002 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 22,066

ACADEMY BLVD SB

Good

Over: B ST US ARMY RR

1.2 MI W OF I-25, El Paso, CO

Built 2010 Load: 19.8 t ADT: 21,043

SH 103 ML

Good

Over: CHICAGO CREEK

0.5 MI S OF JCT I 70 ML, Clear Creek, CO

Built 1958 Load: 19.9 t ADT: 2,300

US 40 ML

Good

Over: DRAW

10.21 MI SE OF HUGO, Lincoln, CO

Built 1987 Load: 19.9 t ADT: 3,000

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: WILLIAMS FORK

T25N R77W SECTION 31, Grand, CO

Built 1969 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 11

PINION STREET

Good

Over: GROVE CREEK

JUST W OF RIVER COURT, Mesa, CO

Built 1990 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 46

SH 96 ML

Good

Over: DRAW

15.45 MI E OF JCT SH 287, Kiowa, CO

Built 1980 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 430

SH 112 ML

Good

Over: FARMERS UNION CANAL

12.6 MI NE OF JCT US 160, Saguache, CO

Built 1948 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 1,700

County Road 23

Good

Over: Peterson Ditch

0.9 Mi. No. of US Hwy 138, Sedgwick, CO

Built 1996 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 4

County Road X

Good

Over: North Sand Creek

0.15 Mi N of Co Rd 3, Yuma, CO

Built 1968 Load: 20.0 t ADT: 32

Tipple Ave.

Good

Over: Lightner Creek

0.1 Mi N of US160, La Plata, CO

Built 2020 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 604

E-470 NB

Good

Over: South Platte River

38.97 MI FROM I25, Adams, CO

Built 2003 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 18,870

E-470 SB

Good

Over: South Platte River

38.97 MI FROM I25, Adams, CO

Built 2003 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 19,215

SH 82 EBND ML

Good

Over: DRAW

NEAR ASPEN, Pitkin, CO

Built 2003 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 11,000

County Road 55

Good

Over: S. PLATTE RIVER OVERFLOW

1.2 Mi S of US Hwy 138, Logan, CO

Built 2013 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 345

County Road 27

Good

Over: Buckhorn Creek

4.0 Mi NW of Co Rd 38E, Larimer, CO

Built 2015 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 682

I 70 ML EBND

Good

Over: COLORADO RIVER OVFLW

14.1 MI E OF JCT SH 65, Mesa, CO

Built 1980 Load: 20.3 t ADT: 9,000

SH 82 ML-S/E Bound

Good

Over: DRAW

4.5 mi SE of Basalt, Pitkin, CO

Built 2004 Load: 20.3 t ADT: 22,000

Morrow Dam Road

Good

Over: Cimmaron Creek

Cimmaron Colorado, Montrose, CO

Built 1970 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 100

NFSR 959.1

Good

Over: TROUT CREEK

1 MI. N. OF SHERIFF RESV, Rio Blanco, CO

Built 1960 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 72

WATERTON ROAD

Good

Over: LOCAL DRAINAGE

2.1 MI W OF US 85, Douglas, CO

Built 2020 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 476

E-470 SB

Good

Over: 120th Avenue

34.08 MI FROM I25, Adams, CO

Built 2002 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 22,990

US 34 ML

Good

Over: BIG THOMPSON RIVER

1 MI W OF LOVELAND, Larimer, CO

Built 1992 Load: 20.5 t ADT: 8,300

US 36 ML

Good

Over: DEER TRAIL CREEK

11.9 MI E OF JCT I 70, Adams, CO

Built 1975 Load: 20.6 t ADT: 790

SH 112 ML

Good

Over: RIO GRANDE RIVER

NORTH SIDE OF DEL NORTE, Rio Grande, CO

Built 1980 Load: 20.6 t ADT: 2,000

CO RD 1 MI LANE

Good

Over: SAN LUIS VALLEY CANAL

.1 MI E OF CR 102, Alamosa, CO

Built 1993 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 47

FDR 591

Good

Over: COAL CREEK

9.1 MI ON FDR 591, San Juan, CO

Built 1937 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 37

I 76 ML EBND

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK

1.9 MI E OF JCT 121, Adams, CO

Built 1985 Load: 21.0 t ADT: 39,500

WALL STREET

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK

IN TOWN OF CREEDE, Mineral, CO

Built 1988 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 285

RAMP TO SH 74 SBND

Good

Over: I 70 ML R

20 MI. W. OF DENVER, Jefferson, CO

Built 1993 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 8,000

S. Pratt Parkway

Good

Over: St Vrain Creek

250 Ft S of Boston Ave, Boulder, CO

Built 2019 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 12,909

ADAMS ST

Good

Over: EAST HARVARD GULCH

ADAMS AND VASSAR AVE, Denver, CO

Built 1967 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 364

Welch Street

Good

Over: Spring Creek

0.2 Mi N of Stuart St, Larimer, CO

Built 1999 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 398

COUNTY ROAD 23

Good

Over: EAST BRANCH SPRING CREEK

1.5 MILES NORTH OF ROAD N, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1970 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 24

COUNTY ROAD 25

Good

Over: HOLBROOK CANAL

.2 MI N OF SH 266, Otero, CO

Built 1993 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 236

US 285 ML

Good

Over: CONIFER ROAD

2 MI NE OF CONIFER, Jefferson, CO

Built 2002 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 23,000

RAMP TO US 85 NBND

Good

Over: RAMP TO US 85 NBND[NE] R

2.09 MI N OF JCT US 285, Denver, CO

Built 1986 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 38,000

COUNTY ROAD 77

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK

9.6 MI SE OF US 285, Park, CO

Built 2006 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 350

42ND STREET

Good

Over: FIRST CREEK

0.1 MI W OF PICADILLY ST, Denver, CO

Built 2005 Load: 21.5 t ADT: 1,658

FRD Rec Area

Good

Over: Local Drainage

NW of Grant & Colo Bl, Weld, CO

Built 2000 Load: 21.5 t ADT: 218

I 70 ML WBND

Good

Over: COLORADO RIVER OVFLW

11.1MI W OF PARACHUTE, Mesa, CO

Built 1980 Load: 21.5 t ADT: 9,000

NFSR 250

Good

Over: BITTER CREEK

28.4 MI ON NFSR 250, Conejos, CO

Built 2017 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 50

US 138 ML

Good

Over: ILIFF DRAIN DITCH

4 MI N OF JCT SH 113, Logan, CO

Built 1978 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 690

N BEATY AVENUE

Good

Over: CATLIN CANAL

.1 MI N OF US 50, Otero, CO

Built 2021 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 117

HOLLY STREET

Good

Over: PRENTICE GULCH

.2 MI S OF BELLEVIEW, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1992 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 6,503

County Road 1

Good

Over: Greeley Loveland Canal

0.1 Mi N of US Hwy 34, Larimer, CO

Built 1990 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 8,491

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: GORE CREEK

0.1 MI S OF FRONTAGE ROAD, Eagle, CO

Built 1988 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 754

US 40 ML

Good

Over: BIG GULCH

13.9 MI EAST OF MAYBELL, Moffat, CO

Built 1958 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 940

EB MEADOWS PRKY

Good

Over: EAST PLUM CREEK AND RR

JUST WEST OF HIGHWAY 85, Douglas, CO

Built 1987 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 13,927

WB MEADOWS PRKY

Good

Over: EAST PLUM CREEK AND RR

JUST WEST OF HIGHWAY 85, Douglas, CO

Built 1987 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 13,297

Showing 5,451-5,500 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.