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 21B NBND ML

Good

Over: UNION BLVD

N. BND. POWERS BLVD., El Paso, CO

Built 2014 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 25,000

SH 21B SBND ML

Good

Over: UNION BLVD

S. BND. POWERS BLVD., El Paso, CO

Built 2014 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 25,000

US 50 ML

Good

Over: DRAW

10 MI EAST OF LAMAR, Prowers, CO

Built 2015 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 1,900

SH 89 ML

Good

Over: LITTLE BEAR CREEK

6.6 MI N OF SH 116, Prowers, CO

Built 2002 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 130

HIGH STREET

Good

Over: TURKEY CREEK

1.0 MI E OF REDCLIFF, Eagle, CO

Built 2019 Load: 35.0 t ADT: 1

COUNTY ROAD 340

Good

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

.1 MI NW OF CR 306, Chaffee, CO

Built 1991 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 129

COUNTY ROAD G

Good

Over: ROUBIDEAU CREEK

5 MI W OF SH 50, Delta, CO

Built 1988 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 280

I270 EB RMPTOI70EB

Good

Over: I70 EB RMP TO CENT PRK

I-270 TO I-70E ON RAMP, Denver, CO

Built 2012 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 90,500

I 70 ML WBND

Good

Over: WINSLOW ROAD

1 MI. E. OF EDWARDS, Eagle, CO

Built 1971 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 17,000

Strauss Cabin Road

Good

Over: Fossil Creek Res. Inlet

0.4 Mi S of Harmony Road, Larimer, CO

Built 2005 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 2,164

MONUMENT ROAD

Good

Over: NO THROUGHFARE CANYON

JUST S OF BROADWAY, Mesa, CO

Built 1994 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 5,915

County Road 27

Good

Over: Buckhorn Creek

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

Built 1993 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 806

I 25 ML SBND

Good

Over: PURGATOIRE RIVER

IN TRINIDAD, Las Animas, CO

Built 2011 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 8,000

County Road 8315

Good

Over: Ranch Creek

0.6 Mi. No. of Co. Rd. 83, Grand, CO

Built 1991 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 111

88TH AVENUE

Good

Over: COMANCHE CREEK

1.2 MI E OF STRASBURG RD, Adams, CO

Built 1997 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 197

120TH AVE WBND

Good

Over: RIVERDALE RD

2 MI W OF US85, Adams, CO

Built 2005 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 9,443

CNTPRK RMPTOWB I70

Good

Over: I70 WB RMP TO I270

CENT PRK RAMP TO I-70 W, Denver, CO

Built 2012 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 90,500

E-470 NB

Good

Over: 19th Avenue

20.70 MI FROM I25, Adams, CO

Built 2006 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 18,212

COUNTY ROAD 13

Good

Over: RUNNING CREEK

5 MI NW OF TOWN OF ELBERT, Elbert, CO

Built 1988 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 63

LAS VEGAS ST

Good

Over: SAND CREEK

0.71 MI N OF HWY 85-87, El Paso, CO

Built 1995 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 5,572

COUNTY ROAD 265

Good

Over: EAST MUDDY CREEK

7 MI NW OF SOMERSET, Gunnison, CO

Built 2008 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 167

COUNTY ROAD 265

Good

Over: EAST MUDDY CREEK

3 miles north of SH133, Gunnison, CO

Built 2008 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 194

SH 94 ML

Good

Over: DRAW

8.9 MI E OF ELLICOTT, El Paso, CO

Built 1983 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 1,800

MORGAN GULCH REC S

Good

Over: Williams Fork River

0.2 mi from cnty rd 3, Grand, CO

Built 2011 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 25

FSR 250

Good

Over: BURNT CREEK

22.8 MI ON FSR 250, Rio Grande, CO

Built 2017 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 50

NFSR 391

Good

Over: N. FORK LAKE CREEK

.1 MI SW HWY 82 / MP71, Lake, CO

Built 2014 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 66

STEELE STREET

Good

Over: HOFFMAN DRAINAGE

INTERSECT STEELE/86TH, Adams, CO

Built 2017 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 2,256

96TH AVENUE

Good

Over: SAN ARROYO CREEK TRIB

1.2 MI E OF PROSPECT WAY, Adams, CO

Built 1994 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 29

County Road 94

Good

Over: Lefthand Creek

0.1 Mi N of Olde Stage Rd, Boulder, CO

Built 2019 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 1,441

49TH AVENUE

Good

Over: SAND CREEK

JUST W OF SAND CREEK DR, Adams, CO

Built 1987 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 7,394

ELLIS ST

Good

Over: Drainage channel

INTERS W/CHILES, El Paso, CO

Built 2009 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 1,000

I76RAMP OVER BRDWY

Good

Over: SH 53 ML-BROADWAY R

I 76 OVER BROADWAY, Adams, CO

Built 1993 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 37,500

25 Road

Good

Over: RVRSD PW IND AV UPRR

.1 MILES S OF I-70B IN GJ, Mesa, CO

Built 2009 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 40,819

8TH STREET

Good

Over: CLEAR CREEK TRIBUTARY

JUST W OF GRIFFITH ST, Clear Creek, CO

Built 2014 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 408

Riverside Pkwy

Good

Over: 4TH ST/UPRR_N. FRK.BRNCH

US 50 @ Riverside Pkwy, Mesa, CO

Built 2010 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 5,588

SH 83 ML

Good

Over: BLACK SQUIRREL CRK

NORTH OF COLORADO SPRINGS, El Paso, CO

Built 2005 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 20,000

COUNTY ROAD 634

Good

Over: REED GULCH

7. MI N OF SH 69, Huerfano, CO

Built 1997 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 10

US 40 ML

Good

Over: DRAW

1.3 MI SE OF WILDHORSE, Cheyenne, CO

Built 1933 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 3,800

US 550 ML SBND

Good

Over: UNCOMPAGRE RIVER

1.7 MI S OF MONTROSE, Montrose, CO

Built 2002 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 6,500

County Road 45B

Good

Over: Little Thompson River

1.0 mile east 36, Larimer, CO

Built 2015 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 122

COUNTY ROAD BB

Good

Over: ROCKY FORD HIGHLINE CANA

.3 MI E OF CR 18, Otero, CO

Built 1964 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 35

County Road 8

Good

Over: South Platte River

1.3 Mi E of Co Rd 23, Weld, CO

Built 1994 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 151

County Road 18C

Good

Over: Yampa River

0.3 Mi E of Co Rd 18, Routt, CO

Built 2001 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 257

US 34 ML WBND

Good

Over: LOVELAND-GREELEY CANAL

3 MI W OF JCT I 25, Larimer, CO

Built 1965 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 22,000

SECOND STREET

Good

Over: OIL CREEK DITCH

Just N of Royal Gorge Rd, Fremont, CO

Built 1987 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 333

COUNTY RD 350

Good

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

0.5 MI WEST OF SH 24, Chaffee, CO

Built 2001 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 2,180

SH 470 ML WBND

Good

Over: US 285 ML

2 MI S OF MORRISON, Jefferson, CO

Built 1988 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 33,000

MCINTYRE STREET

Good

Over: CROKE CANAL

0.2 MI N OF 44TH AVENUE, Jefferson, CO

Built 1988 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 25,056

COUNTY ROAD 39

Good

Over: I 70 ML KYLE RR

2.6 MI E.OF BOVINA, Lincoln, CO

Built 1975 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 12

County Road 245

Good

Over: West Elk Creek

1.2 Mi NW of Co Rd 243, Garfield, CO

Built 1983 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 117

Showing 6,851-6,900 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.