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 N

Poor

Over: ALKALI CANYON

1.5 MI W OF SH 491, Montezuma, CO

Built 1970 Load: 14.5 t ADT: 250

FARM ACCESS TO 550

Poor

Over: COW CREEK AR

7.5 MI NO.OF JCT SH 62 ML, Ouray, CO

Built 1938 Load: 14.6 t ADT: 6

COUNTY ROAD V

Poor

Over: CONEJOS RIVER

1.7 MI E OF 7TH ST. EAST, Conejos, CO

Built 1947 Load: 14.7 t ADT: 136

COUNTY ROAD U

Poor

Over: NORTH FORK SAND ARROYO

1 MI W OF CR 10, Baca, CO

Built 1960 Load: 14.9 t ADT: 7

I 70 ML WBND

Poor

Over: US 6 CLEAR CREEK

8.7 MI W OF JCT SH 74, Clear Creek, CO

Built 1959 Load: 15.0 t ADT: 23,500

County Road 3

Poor

Over: Sullivan Ditch

0.7 Mi N of Co Rd 12, Weld, CO

Built 1989 Load: 15.1 t ADT: 2,243

COUNTY RD 20.8

Poor

Over: MOORE CANYON CREEK

JUST W OF CR 67.9, Las Animas, CO

Built 1935 Load: 15.2 t ADT: 30

COUNTY ROAD F

Poor

Over: E FORK ADOBE CREEK TRIB

2.1 MILES EAST OF ROAD 34, Lincoln, CO

Built 1955 Load: 15.3 t ADT: 10

UTE PASS AVENUE

Poor

Over: FOUNTAIN CREEK

0.1 M S OF HIGHWAY 24, El Paso, CO

Built 1968 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 1,763

SH 239 ML

Poor

Over: CANAL

2 MI N OF JCT I 25 TRINID, Las Animas, CO

Built 1932 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 380

COUNTY RD 32.4

Poor

Over: PICKETWIRE DITCH

1.2 MI E OF I-25, Las Animas, CO

Built 1970 Load: 15.5 t ADT: 164

I 70 ML EBND

Poor

Over: SMITH GULCH

I MI E OF SUMMIT EAGLE CL, Summit, CO

Built 1977 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 10,000

COUNTY RD 4.4

Poor

Over: TRINCHERA CREEK

3 MI E OF CR 113, Las Animas, CO

Built 1950 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 6

County Road 56

Poor

Over: Elk River

150 Ft W of Co Rd 129, Routt, CO

Built 1972 Load: 16.0 t ADT: 204

COUNTY ROAD MM

Poor

Over: AMITY CANAL

1.0 MI W OF SH 385, Prowers, CO

Built 1970 Load: 16.1 t ADT: 4

COUNTY ROAD 31

Poor

Over: SPRING CREEK

6.5 MILES NORTH OF US 24, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1936 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 339

MESA AVE.

Poor

Over: OAK CREEK

IN TOWN OF ROCKVALE, Fremont, CO

Built 1993 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 491

I 76 ML EBND

Poor

Over: US 34 SPUR

AT JCT. US 6 & 34B-BR, Morgan, CO

Built 1961 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 6,000

SH 109 ML

Poor

Over: DRAW

2.7 MI NORTH OF LA JUNTA, Otero, CO

Built 1943 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 2,300

COUNTY ROAD 67

Poor

Over: EAST FORK EIGHT MILE CRK

11.8 MI N OF CR 123, Fremont, CO

Built 1894 Load: 16.4 t ADT: 25

FOREST ROAD 305

Poor

Over: M THOMPSON CR

7.8 MI SW OF CARBONDALE, Pitkin, CO

Built 1956 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 10

US 350 ML

Poor

Over: HOE RANCH ARROYO

8 MILES NE OF BLOOM, Otero, CO

Built 1937 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 470

COUNTY ROAD 32

Poor

Over: ADOBE CREEK

1.8 MILES SOUTH OF ROAD N, Lincoln, CO

Built 1940 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 69

COUNTY ROAD T

Poor

Over: HORSE CREEK

0.3 MI W OF SH 71, Lincoln, CO

Built 1961 Load: 16.8 t ADT: 15

CR 12 (Grand View)

Poor

Over: Stanley Lateral Ditch

0.3 Mi East of Co Rd 13, Weld, CO

Built 1976 Load: 17.1 t ADT: 1,507

US 50 SERVICE RD

Poor

Over: BNSF RR AR

ROAD TO PUEBLO ARMY DEPOT, Pueblo, CO

Built 1953 Load: 17.1 t ADT: 8,600

US 160 BUSINESS RT

Poor

Over: MANCOS RIVER

MANCOS, Montezuma, CO

Built 1936 Load: 17.1 t ADT: 530

EL PASO STREET

Poor

Over: PLATTE AVENUE

0.3 MI EAST OF NEVADA AVE, El Paso, CO

Built 1939 Load: 17.4 t ADT: 7,042

COUNTY ROAD 17

Poor

Over: STEELS FORK CREEK

1.2 MILES NORTH OF ROAD F, Lincoln, CO

Built 1950 Load: 17.6 t ADT: 6

County Road 93

Poor

Over: South Platte River

1.1 Mi N of I-76, Logan, CO

Built 1984 Load: 17.6 t ADT: 62

GREENE STREET

Poor

Over: CEMENT CREEK

JUST S OF 16TH STREET, San Juan, CO

Built 1929 Load: 17.6 t ADT: 647

McKay Road

Poor

Over: SOUTH PLATTE RIVER

0.4 MILE N OF 96TH AVENUE, Adams, CO

Built 1965 Load: 17.9 t ADT: 12,861

NORTH AVENUE

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE

E. OF UNION BLVD., Jefferson, CO

Built 1942 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 1,100

BIJOU STREET

Poor

Over: SHOOKS RUN

JUST E OF N CORONA STREET, El Paso, CO

Built 1938 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 932

I 70 FRONTAGE SR

Poor

Over: UP RR SR

NE / DOTSERO INTERCHANGE, Eagle, CO

Built 1935 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 2,296

PERRY STREET

Poor

Over: US 6 ML

IN DENVER, Denver, CO

Built 1964 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 6,876

I 70 BUSINESS SPUR

Poor

Over: I 70 ML

7.9 MI E ARAPAHOE-ELBERT, Elbert, CO

Built 1958 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 250

COUNTY ROAD 40

Poor

Over: KICKING BIRD CANAL

.4 MI N OF CR C, Kiowa, CO

Built 1988 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 14

COUNTY RD 32.0

Poor

Over: PURGATOIRE RIVER

1.6 MI N OF SH 160, Las Animas, CO

Built 1950 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 5

US 350 ML

Poor

Over: SHEEP CANYON ARROYO

6.3 MILES NE OF BLOOM, Otero, CO

Built 1937 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 470

COUNTY ROAD 3

Poor

Over: FT. LYON CANAL

.2 MI N OF CR SS, Prowers, CO

Built 1988 Load: 18.1 t ADT: 240

37th Street

Poor

Over: Loveland Greeley Canal

0.3 Mi E of 83rd Ave, Weld, CO

Built 1994 Load: 18.2 t ADT: 4,671

US 34 ML WBND

Poor

Over: BARNES INLET CANAL

IN LOVELAND AT LAKE, Larimer, CO

Built 1933 Load: 18.3 t ADT: 12,500

I 70 ML WBND

Poor

Over: BLACK GORE CREEK

7.5 MI W OF VAIL PASS SUM, Eagle, CO

Built 1977 Load: 18.3 t ADT: 10,000

SH 114 ML

Poor

Over: COCHETOPA CREEK

11.9 MI SE OF JCT US 50, Saguache, CO

Built 1941 Load: 18.3 t ADT: 470

TOWER ROAD

Poor

Over: THIRD CREEK

0.7 MI NORTH OF 112TH AVE, Adams, CO

Built 1970 Load: 18.4 t ADT: 18,738

COUNTY ROAD HH

Poor

Over: CHEYENNE CREEK

1.1 MI W OF CR 39, Prowers, CO

Built 1975 Load: 18.4 t ADT: 12

COUNTY ROAD 43

Poor

Over: MANCOS RIVER

01 MI N OF SH 160, Montezuma, CO

Built 1973 Load: 18.6 t ADT: 95

I 70 ML EBND

Poor

Over: GULLER GULCH

3.5 MI E/ VAIL PASS SUMIT, Summit, CO

Built 1977 Load: 18.6 t ADT: 10,000

I 25 BUS RT

Poor

Over: BEAR CREEK

0.5 MI NO OF JCT I 25 ML, Huerfano, CO

Built 1933 Load: 18.6 t ADT: 1,900

Showing 8,601-8,650 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.