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

HUBBARD CANYON

Good

Over: WEST MUDDY CREEK

17 MI NNE PAONIA, Delta, CO

Built 2000 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 29

COUNTY ROAD J

Good

Over: NORTH UTE CANYON

1.6 MI W OF SH 287/385, Baca, CO

Built 1935 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 46

I 76 ML WBND

Good

Over: SH 53 ML-BROADWAY

I76 OVER BROADWAY, Adams, CO

Built 1993 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 37,500

E-470 SB

Good

Over: US85 UPRR FULTON DITCH

37.83 MI FROM I25, Adams, CO

Built 2002 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 20,095

11th Avenue

Good

Over: Cache La Poudre River

0.2 Mi N. of D Street, Weld, CO

Built 2003 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 7,966

County Road 194

Good

Over: DRAW in State Park

2.5 mi. east US 285, Chaffee, CO

Built 2010 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 7,900

County Road 11

Good

Over: North Poudre Canal

.8 Mi N of Co Rd 70, Larimer, CO

Built 1986 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 278

US 287 ML

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

2 MILES NORTH OF SPRINGFI, Baca, CO

Built 1935 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 3,000

County Road 29

Good

Over: Pierce Lateral Canal

0.9 Mi N of Co Rd 88, Weld, CO

Built 1993 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 1,615

US 287 ML

Good

Over: COAL CREEK

IN BOULDER COUNTY, Boulder, CO

Built 1996 Load: 23.1 t ADT: 32,000

SH 69 ML

Good

Over: TEXAS CREEK

18.6 MI N OF WESTCLIFF, Fremont, CO

Built 1949 Load: 23.1 t ADT: 420

COUNTY ROAD 42

Good

Over: SAGUACHE CREEK

1.1 MI S OF SH 114, Saguache, CO

Built 1987 Load: 23.1 t ADT: 121

County Road 13

Good

Over: Big Thompson River

0.4 MI North of Co Rd 54, Weld, CO

Built 2009 Load: 23.1 t ADT: 4,741

COUNTY ROAD M44

Good

Over: GURLEY RES FEEDER DITCH

0.2 MI E OF CR 46M, San Miguel, CO

Built 2012 Load: 23.2 t ADT: 32

County Road 23

Good

Over: Big Dry Creek

150 Ft N of Co Rd 8, Weld, CO

Built 1982 Load: 23.2 t ADT: 2,378

D Road

Good

Over: Franklin Eddy Canal

Road D off of highway 17, Saguache, CO

Built 1985 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 10

I 76 ML WBND

Good

Over: FEDERAL BLVD

I76 OVER 287-FEDERAL BLVD, Adams, CO

Built 1989 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 38,500

RESEARCH ROAD

Good

Over: LENA GULCH

0.1 mi N of S Golden Rd, Jefferson, CO

Built 2012 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 2,445

CO RD 25

Good

Over: LAKE FORK GUNNISON RIVER

22.4 MI SW OF GUNNISON, Gunnison, CO

Built 1987 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 124

County Road 27

Good

Over: Buckhorn Creek

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

Built 2015 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 591

SH 47 ML NB

Good

Over: CITY ST UP RR

JUST E OF I25 IN PUEBLO, Pueblo, CO

Built 1999 Load: 23.4 t ADT: 16,500

County Road 2

Good

Over: Cottonwood Creek

12.5 Mi W of Rangley, Rio Blanco, CO

Built 1989 Load: 23.4 t ADT: 60

County Road 37

Good

Over: Owl Creek

0.6 Mi N of Co Rd 114, Weld, CO

Built 1992 Load: 23.4 t ADT: 36

I 76 ML WBND

Good

Over: 60TH AVE & DITCH

3.8 MI E OF I70 + I76 INT, Adams, CO

Built 1988 Load: 23.5 t ADT: 38,500

SH 9 ML

Good

Over: COLORADO RIVER

S EDGE OF KREMMLING, Grand, CO

Built 2004 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 3,500

I 76 ML EBND

Good

Over: FEDERAL BLVD

FEDERAL BLVD/ US 287, Adams, CO

Built 1989 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 38,500

I 76 EBND ML

Good

Over: SH 53 ML-BROADWAY

EBnd I 76 OVER BROADWAY, Adams, CO

Built 1993 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 37,500

US 24 ML

Good

Over: DRAW

6.3 MI E OF PEYTON, El Paso, CO

Built 1959 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 5,500

SH 9 ML

Good

Over: CURRANT CREEK

2.9 MI NW OF FREMONT-PARK, Park, CO

Built 1971 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 430

CIMARRON RIVER RD

Good

Over: CIMARRON RIVER

33 MI S OF MONTROSE, Gunnison, CO

Built 1987 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 156

FDR 520.2C

Good

Over: RIO GRANDE RIVER

0.1 MI ON FDR 520.2C, Hinsdale, CO

Built 2008 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 155

I 25 SERVICE RD

Good

Over: N.POUDRE DITCH SAND C SR

11.6 MI NORTH OF JCT SH 1, Larimer, CO

Built 1967 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 822

SH 14 ML

Good

Over: CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER

4.4 MI EAST OF CHAMBERS L, Larimer, CO

Built 1990 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 450

CROSS CANYON TRL

Good

Over: LOCAL DRAINAGE

0.5 MI SE OF HESS RD, Douglas, CO

Built 2019 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 1,869

SH 7 ML

Good

Over: COAL CREEK

2.3 MI E OF JCT US 287, Boulder, CO

Built 1990 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 17,000

E-470 SB

Good

Over: Second Creek

37.07 MI FROM I25, Adams, CO

Built 2002 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 20,682

EBND ACADEMY BLVD

Good

Over: RAMP TO WBND ACADEMY

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

Built 2010 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 20,497

Second Avenue

Good

Over: St. Vrain Creek

0.15 Mi S of Hwy 36, Boulder, CO

Built 2021 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 946

COUNTY ROAD 1S

Good

Over: EMPIRE CANAL

1.3 MI E OF CR 6E, Rio Grande, CO

Built 2006 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 234

US 285 ML

Good

Over: KERBER CREEK

0.1 MI N OF VILLA GROVE, Saguache, CO

Built 1970 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 3,200

I 70 FRONTAGE

Good

Over: W FORK CLEAR CREEK SR

3.5 MI NE OF GEORGETOWN, Clear Creek, CO

Built 2000 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 3,950

I76 EB RAMP TO I25

Good

Over: SH 53 ML R

.4 MI W OF JCT I76 Ramp, Adams, CO

Built 1993 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 98,000

86TH AVENUE

Good

Over: HOFFMAN DITCH

0.6 MI EAST OF STEELE ST, Adams, CO

Built 1990 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 286

86TH AVENUE

Good

Over: HOFFMAN DITCH

0.5 MI E OF STEELE ST, Adams, CO

Built 1992 Load: 23.9 t

County Road MM

Good

Over: N. Fork Republican River

0.10 Mi N of US Hwy 34, Yuma, CO

Built 1992 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 26

NFSR 440.1

Good

Over: MIDDLE FORK ELK RIVER

0.2 MILE S. OF NFSR 400.1, Routt, CO

Built 1980 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 106

COUNTY ROAD 32.5

Good

Over: I 76 ML

3.4 MI NE OF JCT US 385, Sedgwick, CO

Built 1969 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 54

SH 58 RAMP

Good

Over: I70ML/ SH58 ML/CLR CRK

I-70 & SH 58 INTERCHA, Jefferson, CO

Built 2008 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 34,000

SH92 ML

Good

Over: LAWHEAD GULCH

8.14 MI E OF JCT SH65, Delta, CO

Built 2012 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 4,100

MONROE ST

Good

Over: EAST HARVARD GULCH

MONROE ST N OF VASSAR AVE, Denver, CO

Built 1967 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 538

Showing 5,551-5,600 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.