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

SH 82 ML

Good

Over: CATTLE CREEK

8.1 MI. S.E. OF JCT I-70, Garfield, CO

Built 1967 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 23,000

15TH STREET

Good

Over: GRAND VALLEY CANAL

.1 MI S OF WELLINGTON AVE, Mesa, CO

Built 1984 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 7,210

COUNTY ROAD 23

Good

Over: I 70 ML

1.3 MI E OF JCT US 6 ML, Mesa, CO

Built 1965 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 2,411

County Road 15

Good

Over: Milk Creek

0.8 M S of Moffat Co Line, Rio Blanco, CO

Built 1985 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 41

County Road 122

Good

Over: Little Owl Creek

0.1 Mi E of US Hwy 85, Weld, CO

Built 1986 Load: 29.7 t ADT: 72

Highway 325

Good

Over: Dam Spillway

Highway 325 Marker 4, Garfield, CO

Built 1965 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 470

NFSR 400.1

Good

Over: NORTH FORK ELK RIVER

8 MILES EAST OF CLARK CO, Routt, CO

Built 1956 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 106

COUNTY ROAD 27

Good

Over: MCELMO CREEK

.9 MI N OF CR H, Montezuma, CO

Built 1997 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 1,590

County Road 58

Good

Over: Elk River

0.4 Mi W of Co Rd 129, Routt, CO

Built 1991 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 35

ELKHART STREET

Good

Over: SABLE DITCH

W OF CHAMBERS & S OF, Adams, CO

Built 1981 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 74

COUNTY ROAD H

Good

Over: BOB CREEK

.4 MI W OF ROAD 12, Crowley, CO

Built 1992 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 167

SH 13 ML

Good

Over: WHITE RIVER

2.5 mi. W of MEEKER, Rio Blanco, CO

Built 2000 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 2,100

RAMAH HIGHWAY

Good

Over: HORSE CREEK

JUST S OF HANISCH ROAD, El Paso, CO

Built 1999 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 165

Prospect Road

Good

Over: Cache La Poudre River

0.1 M E of Sharp Point Dr, Larimer, CO

Built 1986 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 22,311

US 285 ACCESS RD

Good

Over: N FK S PLATTE RIVER AR

MOORE DALE ROAD, Park, CO

Built 1995 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 5,900

RAMP TO US 24

Good

Over: KYLE RR R

0.8 MI E OF JCT SH 71, Lincoln, CO

Built 1975 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 12,000

SH 67 ML

Good

Over: TROUT CREEK

6.9 MI N OF JCT SH 24 ML, Teller, CO

Built 2000 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 2,300

US 50 ML

Good

Over: CIMARRON RIVER

E. EDGE OF CIMARRON, Montrose, CO

Built 1971 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 4,300

Cedar Valley Drive

Good

Over: Dry Creek

0.2 Mi W of Rossum Drive, Larimer, CO

Built 1998 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 386

SH 17 ML

Good

Over: CONEJOS RIVER OVFLW

5 MI W. OF ANTONITO, Conejos, CO

Built 1958 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 960

CITY ST 5TH STREET

Good

Over: QUARTZ CREEK

IN TOWN OF PITKIN, Gunnison, CO

Built 1987 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 39

County Road 2

Good

Over: Hudson Annex Canal

0.5 Mi E of Co Rd 45, Weld, CO

Built 2004 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 845

DETER-WINTERS ROAD

Good

Over: E FK LITTLE MUDDY CREEK

0.1 MI N OF 112TH AVENUE, Adams, CO

Built 2002 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 24

BRUSH CREEK RD

Good

Over: BRUSH CREEK

0.14 MI SE OF CR 307, Eagle, CO

Built 1988 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 1,061

I 70 ML EBND

Good

Over: SWEETWATER CROSS ROAD

DOTSERO INTERCHANGE, Eagle, CO

Built 1980 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 8,500

I 70 ML EBND

Good

Over: DOTSERO EAST CROSS ROAD

DOTSERO EAST, Eagle, CO

Built 1980 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 8,500

County Road 37

Good

Over: Surveyor Creek

0.8 Mi. E. of Co. Rd. FF, Washington, CO

Built 1991 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 22

I 70 ML EBND

Good

Over: MAMM CREEK

4.5MI E OF RIFLE, Garfield, CO

Built 1977 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 10,500

I 70 ML WBND

Good

Over: MAMM CREEK

4.5MI E OF RIFLE, Garfield, CO

Built 1977 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 10,500

SH 470 ML EBND

Good

Over: BELLEVIEW AVE

1.2 MI S OF JCT SH 285, Jefferson, CO

Built 1990 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 31,500

CO RD 738

Good

Over: BRUSH CREEK

4.5 MI NE CRESTED BUTTE, Gunnison, CO

Built 2003 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 159

I 25 ML NBND

Good

Over: SALT CREEK

18.3 MI NORTH OF JCT SH 1, Pueblo, CO

Built 1963 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 7,500

I 25 ML SBND

Good

Over: MUDDY CREEK

5.3 MI N OF JCT SH 165, Pueblo, CO

Built 1965 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 7,500

US 50 ML

Good

Over: WOLF CREEK OVERFLOW

IN GRANADA, Prowers, CO

Built 1979 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 2,000

COUNTY ROAD 30

Good

Over: GRAND VALLEY CANAL

.4 MI N OF US 6, Mesa, CO

Built 1996 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 8,822

FSR 787

Good

Over: MIDDLE FORK SAGUACHE CRK

29.7 MI WSW OF SAGUACHE, Saguache, CO

Built 1977 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 11

FSR 355.1

Good

Over: SOUTH FORK SWAN

INTERSECTION OF 355.1B, Summit, CO

Built 2003 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 25

WESTBRIDGE DRIVE

Good

Over: LOCAL DRAINAGE

0.15 MI E of CANYONSIDE, Douglas, CO

Built 2019 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 2,104

SOUTH PRINCE ST

Good

Over: SOUTH PLATTE RIVER

0.1 MI W OF SANTA FE, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1985 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 7,025

FRONT ST

Good

Over: RAILROAD / 7TH ST

N OF 6TH STREET, Douglas, CO

Built 2004 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 12,441

9TH STREET

Good

Over: ANIMAS RIVER

250 W OF SH 550, La Plata, CO

Built 1979 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 4,312

I 76 ML EBND

Good

Over: RAMP TO I 25 SBND

0.1 MI W. OF I25+I76 JCT, Adams, CO

Built 1991 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 37,500

RAMP TO I 25 ML

Good

Over: BNSF RR R

I 25/US 6 INTCHNG IN DENV, Denver, CO

Built 1988 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 215,000

I 70 ML EBND

Good

Over: US 36 ML

3.4 MI E OF STRASBURG SPU, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1963 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 7,500

US 94 ML

Good

Over: DRAW

SH 94, Lincoln, CO

Built 1993 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 440

SH 52 ML

Good

Over: BEEBE CANAL

1.2 MI W OF JCT I 76, Weld, CO

Built 1970 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 9,100

US 287 ML

Good

Over: BIG SANDY CREEK

1.8 MI SE OF KIT CARSON, Cheyenne, CO

Built 1971 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 3,800

COUNTY ROAD 55

Good

Over: SMOKY HILL RIVER

0.5 MILES NORTH OF ROAD G, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1985 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 66

US 50 ML

Good

Over: DRAW

7.8 MI EAST OF LA JUNTA, Otero, CO

Built 1961 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 3,400

County Road 23

Good

Over: Handy Ditch

0.9 Mi N of Co Rd 12, Larimer, CO

Built 1989 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 3,024

Showing 5,951-6,000 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.