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

US 285 ML

Poor

Over: LITTLE DRY CREEK

HAMPDEN AT SHERMAN, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1955 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 46,000

ALAMEDA AVE

Poor

Over: I 225 ML

ALAMEDA OVER I225, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1969 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 38,305

HAPPY CANYON ROAD

Poor

Over: I 25 ML

5.1 MI N CASTLE ROCK BUS., Douglas, CO

Built 1965 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 5,917

US 85 ML

Poor

Over: FOUNTAIN CREEK

0.5 MI N OF JCT I-25 ML, El Paso, CO

Built 1930 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 11,000

COUNTY ROAD 39

Poor

Over: COON CREEK

.5 MI SE OF CLIFFORD, Lincoln, CO

Built 1935 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 19

County Road 45E

Poor

Over: Dale Creek

0.2 Mi Northwest of US Hw, Larimer, CO

Built 1932 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 16

US 34 ML

Poor

Over: DEVILS GULCH

E EDGE OF ESTES PARK, Larimer, CO

Built 1937 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 6,000

DAHLIA STREET

Poor

Over: I 76 ML

2.1 MI NE OF JCT I 270, Adams, CO

Built 1967 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 10,703

SH 86 ML

Poor

Over: KIOWA CREEK

W. EDGE OF KIOWA, Elbert, CO

Built 1948 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 4,900

THIRD STREET

Poor

Over: ANDERSON ARROYO

300 FT W OF MAPLE AVENUE, Otero, CO

Built 1931 Load: 22.8 t ADT: 3,981

44TH AVE

Poor

Over: I 25 ML

IN DENVER, Denver, CO

Built 1988 Load: 22.9 t ADT: 2,623

County Road 56

Poor

Over: Larimer County Canal

0.2 Mi E of US Hwy 287, Larimer, CO

Built 1930 Load: 22.9 t ADT: 91

COUNTY ROAD D

Poor

Over: DISAPPOINTMENT CREEK

4.5 MI NW CR 31, Dolores, CO

Built 1966 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 6

COUNTY RD 105.5

Poor

Over: TRIB. SAN FRANCISCO CRK

.8 MI S OF CR 22, Las Animas, CO

Built 1950 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 22

COUNTY ROAD M.80

Poor

Over: WEST SALT WASH

1.5 MI NW OF CR 8, Mesa, CO

Built 1931 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 131

County Road 24

Poor

Over: Wildcat Creek

150 Ft. N of Co Rd U.5, Morgan, CO

Built 1982 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 670

SH 59 ML

Poor

Over: SIX MILE CREEK

35.1 MI N OF JCT US 34, Phillips, CO

Built 1948 Load: 23.1 t ADT: 220

I 25 ML NBND

Poor

Over: US 160 SH 10 RR SPUR

1.1 MI N WALSENBURG BUS R, Huerfano, CO

Built 1963 Load: 23.1 t ADT: 5,000

US 6 ML

Poor

Over: FRENCHMAN CREEK

IN HOLYOKE, Phillips, CO

Built 1935 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 1,900

MAPLE ST/CR HH.5

Poor

Over: LAMAR CANAL

JUST E OF CR 9, Prowers, CO

Built 1983 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 794

COUNTY RD 42.0

Poor

Over: FEEDER DITCH

JUST EAST OF CR 79, Las Animas, CO

Built 1980 Load: 23.4 t ADT: 100

WATER STREET

Poor

Over: CAMP CREEK

AT 31ST STREET, El Paso, CO

Built 1955 Load: 23.5 t ADT: 2,002

N Shields St-CR17

Poor

Over: Terry Lake Inlet Canal

0.5 Mi N of US Hwy 287, Larimer, CO

Built 1962 Load: 23.5 t ADT: 4,595

US 40 ML

Poor

Over: SHELTON DITCH

E edge of Hayden, Routt, CO

Built 1954 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 6,400

SH 9 ML

Poor

Over: UP RR

S. EDGE OF KREMMLING, Grand, CO

Built 1942 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 3,500

US 36 FR RD

Poor

Over: BOULDER CREEK SR

28th STREET IN BOULDER, Boulder, CO

Built 1952 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,264

US 50 ML

Poor

Over: FOUNTAIN CREEK

IN PUEBLO, Pueblo, CO

Built 1958 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 30,000

County Road 44

Poor

Over: Gilmore Ditch

0.7 Mi E of Co Rd 51, Weld, CO

Built 1981 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 2,095

BROADWAY

Poor

Over: LITTLE DRY CREEK

0.1 MI N OF US 285, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1935 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 31,496

SH 67 ML

Poor

Over: LONG GULCH CREEK

5 MI N OF WOODLAND PARK, Teller, CO

Built 1939 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 2,300

County Road 72

Poor

Over: New Cache La Poudre Cana

0.8 Mi E of Co Rd 47, Weld, CO

Built 1960 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 62

SH 105 ML

Poor

Over: DRAW

2.7 ME S OF JCT SH 67, Douglas, CO

Built 1938 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 2,600

US 6 ML

Poor

Over: FRENCHMAN CREEK

0.6 MI E OF JCT US 385, Phillips, CO

Built 1934 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 1,500

SH 67 ML

Poor

Over: DRAW

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

Built 1939 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 3,700

SH 14 ML

Poor

Over: EATON DITCH

2.4 MI E OF US85 AT AULT, Weld, CO

Built 1941 Load: 24.4 t ADT: 2,400

FDR 660

Poor

Over: RIO BLANCO

12.2 MI ESE OF PAGOSA SPG, Archuleta, CO

Built 1960 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 73

TENNYSON ST

Poor

Over: CLEAR CREEK

.1 MI N OF 54TH AVE, Adams, CO

Built 1965 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,700

EXPLORADOR CALLE

Poor

Over: NIVER CREEK

NEAR CORONADO PKWY, Adams, CO

Built 1970 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,764

CALHOUN-BYERS

Poor

Over: BIJOU CREEK

0.40 MI N OF 72ND AVE, Adams, CO

Built 1965 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 165

LAREDO STREET

Poor

Over: HIGHLINE CANAL

.25 MI N OF COLFAX, Adams, CO

Built 1970 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 5,975

US 6 ML EBND

Poor

Over: STERLING CANAL NO 1

4.7 MI NE OF JCT SH 63, Logan, CO

Built 1941 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,150

SH 59 ML

Poor

Over: COYOTE CREEK

21.8 MI NO OF JCT US 34, Yuma, CO

Built 1948 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 240

COLORADO BLVD

Poor

Over: LITTLE DRY CREEK

0.4 MI. S. OF ORCHARD RD, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1970 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 4,036

ORCHARD RD

Poor

Over: HIGHLINE CANAL

.3 MI WEST OF UNIV BLVD, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1965 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 10,077

DRY CREEK RD

Poor

Over: WILLOW CREEK

.1 MI E OF MONACO, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1972 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 3,964

COUNTY ROAD 166

Poor

Over: RUNNING CREEK

1.3 MI W OF COUNTY RD 13, Elbert, CO

Built 1978 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 120

COUNTY RD 75.1

Poor

Over: LEITENSDORFER ARROYO

.2 MI NE OF CR 36, Las Animas, CO

Built 1935 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 290

Main St (CR 37.5)

Poor

Over: Union Ditch

0.7 Mi N of Weld CR 39, Weld, CO

Built 1950 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,205

CR 30.7 Vansway Dr

Poor

Over: Sterling No 1 Ditch

0.2 Mi W of Co Rd 39, Logan, CO

Built 1960 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 104

COUNTY ROAD 14

Poor

Over: CATLIN CANAL

.3 MI S OF SH 50, Otero, CO

Built 1956 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 90

Showing 8,701-8,750 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.