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

COUNTY ROAD M

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK TRIBUTARY

0.5 MILES EAST OF ROAD 23, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1995 Load: 20.5 t ADT: 5

COUNTY ROAD 33.75

Fair

Over: GOVT. HIGHLINE CANAL

.8 MI N OF RD F, Mesa, CO

Built 1986 Load: 20.5 t ADT: 107

JAY JAY ROAD

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

6.1 MI NW OF MONTROSE, Montrose, CO

Built 1923 Load: 20.6 t ADT: 1,603

FULLENWIDER ST.

Fair

Over: FARMERS UNION CANAL

JUST N OF WASHINGTON ST, Saguache, CO

Built 1976 Load: 20.6 t ADT: 2,193

COUNTY ROAD 30

Fair

Over: LAKE FORK GUNNISON RIVER

7.6 MI S OF LAKE CITY, Hinsdale, CO

Built 1986 Load: 20.6 t ADT: 436

County Road 103

Fair

Over: Larimer Poudre Canal

6.8 Mi N of St Hwy 14, Larimer, CO

Built 1954 Load: 20.6 t ADT: 85

COUNTY ROAD 28

Fair

Over: HOLBROOK CANAL

0.02 MI N CR 808, Otero, CO

Built 1974 Load: 20.6 t ADT: 13

COUNTY ROAD JJ

Fair

Over: ROCKY FORD HIGHLINE CANA

.4 MI E OF CR 4, Otero, CO

Built 1945 Load: 20.6 t ADT: 64

County Road 29

Fair

Over: Larimer and Weld Canal

0.7 Mi N of Co Rd 76, Weld, CO

Built 1981 Load: 20.6 t ADT: 1,352

County Road 4

Fair

Over: Beaver Creek

0.80 Mi E of Co Rd PP, Yuma, CO

Built 1960 Load: 20.6 t ADT: 17

Magrath Ave

Fair

Over: Drainage channel

.5 mi S of ent. to I25, El Paso, CO

Built 1995 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 100

SPRING CREEK RD

Fair

Over: SUGAR WASH

.9 MI W OF CR 58.75, Montrose, CO

Built 1987 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 62

MONTVIEW BLVD

Fair

Over: SABLE DITCH

INT MONTVIEW AND FRASER, Adams, CO

Built 1981 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 1,830

US 85 ML NBND

Fair

Over: LARIMER-WELD CANAL

3 MI N OF EATON, Weld, CO

Built 1931 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 4,250

LARIMER STREET

Fair

Over: CHERRY CREEK

LARIMER ST AT SPEER BLVD, Denver, CO

Built 1958 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 5,242

COUNTY ROAD 3400

Fair

Over: SMITH FORK

.7 MI S GRANDVIEW MESA RD, Delta, CO

Built 1973 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 71

COUNTY ROAD 38

Fair

Over: FISH CREEK

300 Yds S of DOL-008, Dolores, CO

Built 1960 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 21

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: UP RR

15.6 MI E OF JCT SH 65, Mesa, CO

Built 1980 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 9,000

US 50 ML

Fair

Over: CHERRY CREEK

13 MI EAST OF SALIDA, Fremont, CO

Built 1934 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 3,600

COUNTY ROAD 60.5

Fair

Over: PLATEAU CREEK

JUST SE OF RD 330E, Mesa, CO

Built 1989 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 174

COUNTY ROAD WW

Fair

Over: TRIB. MIDDLE HORSE CREEK

JUST W OF CR 33, Prowers, CO

Built 1970 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 4

County Road 43

Fair

Over: Lone Tree Creek

0.7 Mi N of Co Rd 70, Weld, CO

Built 1981 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 570

CO RD 317

Fair

Over: COPPER CREEK

7.2 MI N OF CRESTED BUTTE, Gunnison, CO

Built 1972 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 381

US 50 ML

Fair

Over: FOX CANYON CREEK

19.6 MI EAST OF SALIDA, Fremont, CO

Built 1936 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 3,600

I 25 SERVICE RD

Fair

Over: CF+I WATER LINES SR

S EDGE OF PUEBLO, Pueblo, CO

Built 1931 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 474

COUNTY RD 52.0

Fair

Over: CANYON DEL AGUA CREEK

JUST W OF CR 63.2, Las Animas, CO

Built 1935 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 32

County Road 19

Fair

Over: Poudre Valley Canal

50 Ft N of Co Rd 64, Larimer, CO

Built 1963 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 1,254

County Road 5

Fair

Over: Cottonwood Creek

0.9 Mi N. of US Hwy 138, Sedgwick, CO

Built 1981 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 20

County Road FF

Fair

Over: Trib. of Surveyor Creek

9.9 Mi. No. of Co Rd 38, Washington, CO

Built 1973 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 36

KIPLING STREET

Fair

Over: FARMERS HIGHLINE CANAL

0.1 MI NORTH OF 80TH AVE, Jefferson, CO

Built 1971 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 9,958

SH 318 ML

Fair

Over: YAMPA RIVER

5.7 MI NW OF MAYBELL, Moffat, CO

Built 1952 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 230

SH 14 ML

Fair

Over: GRIZZLY CREEK

17 MI NE OF JCT US 40, Jackson, CO

Built 1950 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 1,300

SH 64 ML

Fair

Over: WHITE RIVER

17.6 MI SE OF JCT US 40, Rio Blanco, CO

Built 1948 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 3,500

SMITH ROAD

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK

0.9 MI E OF QUEBEC, Denver, CO

Built 1955 Load: 20.9 t

US 6 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

3.5 MI E OF NEW CASTLE, Garfield, CO

Built 1932 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 1,900

US 36 ML

Fair

Over: W. PLUM BUSH CRK

1 MI W OF LAST CHANCE, Washington, CO

Built 1938 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 560

19 Road

Fair

Over: ADOBE CREEK

.3 MI S OF I-70, Mesa, CO

Built 1989 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 61

REDLANDS PKY/24 RD

Fair

Over: I-70B & UPPR RR

JCT I-70B and 24 RD, Mesa, CO

Built 1984 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 15,702

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: US 50 ML

2.4 MI. E. OF I-70 WBND B, Mesa, CO

Built 1959 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 2,099

US 40 ML

Fair

Over: SEVEN MILE CREEK

7.1 MI SE OF HUGO, Lincoln, CO

Built 1978 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 3,000

US 50 ML

Fair

Over: DEER CREEK

10.6 MI SE OF JCT SH 141, Mesa, CO

Built 1933 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 9,800

SH 141 ML

Fair

Over: EAST CREEK

1.3 MI S OF WHITEWATER, Mesa, CO

Built 1953 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 540

SH 141 ML

Fair

Over: DOLORES RIVER

15.1 MI NW OF MESA-MONTRO, Mesa, CO

Built 1957 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 540

US 50 ML

Fair

Over: GUNNISON RIVER

W. SIDE OF GUNNISON, Gunnison, CO

Built 1957 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 6,200

US 50 ML

Fair

Over: E. FORK HAYDEN CREEK

7.7 MI E OF JCT HOWARD RO, Fremont, CO

Built 1936 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 3,600

SH 96 ML

Fair

Over: BESSEMER DITCH

1.4 MI E OF JCT SH 45, Pueblo, CO

Built 1936 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 17,000

I 25 ML NBND

Fair

Over: YOUNG HOLLOW

12.8 MI N OF JCT US 50 W, Pueblo, CO

Built 1958 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 17,500

I 25 ML NBND

Fair

Over: STEEL HOLLOW

7.2 MI N OF JCT US 50 W S, Pueblo, CO

Built 1958 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 17,500

COUNTY ROAD S

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK

0.7 MILES WEST OF HWY 385, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1987 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 159

US 50 ML

Fair

Over: GRAVEYARD CREEK

11 MI W OF LAMAR, Bent, CO

Built 1923 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 2,200

Showing 651-700 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.