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

I 76 ML EBND

Poor

Over: TWENTY TWO SLOUGH

14 MI S.W. OF STERLING EX, Logan, CO

Built 1964 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 5,500

US 85 BYPASS SBND

Poor

Over: US 85 BUSS RT

IN GREELEY, Weld, CO

Built 1962 Load: 30.6 t ADT: 4,750

US 40 ML

Poor

Over: I 70 ML CLEAR CREEK

EMPIRE JNCTN., Clear Creek, CO

Built 1965 Load: 30.6 t ADT: 7,900

County Road 60.5

Poor

Over: Lone Tree Creek

4.7 MI E OF JCT US 85 BYP, Weld, CO

Built 1967 Load: 30.6 t ADT: 749

US 36 ML

Poor

Over: EAST BIJOU CREEK

7.1 MI E OF BYERS, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1966 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,100

US 40 ML

Poor

Over: EAST BIJOU CREEK

2.7 MI NW OF DEER TRAIL, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1966 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 330

I 70 ML WBND

Poor

Over: CORRAL CREEK

4 MI W OF JCT SH 91, Summit, CO

Built 1979 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 10,000

I 70 SERVICE RD

Poor

Over: RATTLESNAKE CREEK SR

4.4 MI E OF JCT US 36 (BY, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1931 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 303

Wapiti Street

Poor

Over: Fraser River

North of Safeway, Grand, CO

Built 1996 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 640

MCINTYRE STREET

Poor

Over: SH 58 ML

2.9 MI E OF JCT SH 93, Jefferson, CO

Built 1973 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 18,523

COUNTY ROAD B

Poor

Over: DRY CREEK

.7MI W OF ASH MESA ROAD, Delta, CO

Built 1986 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 11

I 25 ML SBND

Poor

Over: ACADEMY BLVD

S. INT. OF ACADEMY &, El Paso, CO

Built 1971 Load: 31.9 t ADT: 28,500

US 36 ML

Poor

Over: VEGA CREEK

4.8 MI E OF JCT SH 71, Washington, CO

Built 1938 Load: 32.1 t ADT: 700

County Road 24

Poor

Over: Lower Platte Beaver Cnl

0.4 Mi N of Co Rd T, Morgan, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.1 t ADT: 1,108

County Road 52

Poor

Over: N. Sterling Outlet Canal

0.4 Mi E of Co Rd 45, Logan, CO

Built 1985 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 7

Lincoln Avenue

Poor

Over: Dry Creek

0.1 Mi E of Industrial Dr, Larimer, CO

Built 1948 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,817

I 76 ML WBND

Poor

Over: RAMP TO SH 121 ML

IN ARVADA, Jefferson, CO

Built 1982 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 38,000

HENDERSON ROAD

Poor

Over: SOUTH PLATTE RIVER

0.2 M W OF BRIGHTON BLVD, Adams, CO

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 9,367

WARD ROAD

Poor

Over: RALSTON CREEK

JUST NORTH OF 70TH AVE, Jefferson, CO

Built 1969 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 15,435

COUNTY ROAD DD

Poor

Over: DRY CREEK

1.1 MI E OF CR 39.4, Baca, CO

Built 1934 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 35

COSTILLA STREET

Poor

Over: SHOOKS RUN

0.2 MI E OF WAHSATCH AVE., El Paso, CO

Built 1930 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,652

SAINT VRAIN ST

Poor

Over: SHOOKS RUN

0.1 MI E OF WAHSATCH, El Paso, CO

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 83

CACHE LA POUDRE ST

Poor

Over: SHOOKS RUN

300 FT E OF EL PASO ST, El Paso, CO

Built 1915 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,940

SH 391 ML

Poor

Over: CLEAR CREEK

KIPLING 0.65 MI S OF I70, Jefferson, CO

Built 1969 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 37,000

SH6 DITCH RIDER RD

Poor

Over: BURLINGTON CANAL SR

0.7 MI N OF JCT SH 224, Adams, CO

Built 1948 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 19,000

East Vine Drive

Poor

Over: Lake Canal

0.5 Mi W of Timberline Rd, Larimer, CO

Built 1950 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,025

US 24 SERVICE RD

Poor

Over: FOUNTAIN CREEK SR

1.7 MI SE OF PIKES PEAK-T, El Paso, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 23,000

COUNTY RD 36.0

Poor

Over: DURAN ARROYO

BETWEEN SH 350/CR85, Las Animas, CO

Built 1950 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 56

Railroad Drive

Poor

Over: Union Ditch

500 Ft S of W Taylor Ave, Weld, CO

Built 1930 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 202

COUNTY RD 44.6

Poor

Over: SCHOOL HOUSE GULCH

2.5 MI SE OF BOYERO, Lincoln, CO

Built 1935 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 14

County Road 56.3

Poor

Over: Harmony No2 Return Canal

0.4 Mi W of Co Rd 77, Logan, CO

Built 1930 Load: 32.7 t

South Bowen Street

Poor

Over: Left Hand Creek

At Missouri Ave, Boulder, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,835

Monroe Avenue

Poor

Over: Greeley Loveland Canal

150 Ft N of First Street, Larimer, CO

Built 1922 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 473

I.9 ROAD

Poor

Over: Local Drainage

.6 Mi NW of CAMEO, Mesa, CO

Built 1901 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 309

SH 116 ML

Poor

Over: BEATY CREEK

1.5 MI W OF KANSAS, Baca, CO

Built 1938 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 110

SH 116 ML

Poor

Over: BUFFALO CREEK

9.5 MILES W. OF KANSAS, Baca, CO

Built 1938 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 80

US 160 ML

Poor

Over: DRAW

9.8 MILES E. OF PRITCHET, Baca, CO

Built 1939 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 420

SH 12 ML

Poor

Over: DRAW

2.5 MI E OF WESTON, Las Animas, CO

Built 1936 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 520

Rock Creek Pkwy

Poor

Over: Community Ditch

300 Ft East of McCaslin, Boulder, CO

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,760

120TH AVENUE

Poor

Over: FARMERS HIGHLINE CNL

0.36 MI E OF I-25, Adams, CO

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 43,499

County Road 33

Poor

Over: New Cache La Poudre Cana

50 Ft No of St Hwy 392, Weld, CO

Built 1971 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,877

County Road 34

Poor

Over: St. Vrain Creek

0.3 Mi E of Co Rd 17, Weld, CO

Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,258

County Road 76.5

Poor

Over: Larimer and Weld Canal

30 Ft W of Co Rd 23, Weld, CO

Built 1930 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 304

Blake Street

Poor

Over: N. Fork Republican River

0.1 M N of SH 34, Yuma, CO

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,169

County Road R

Poor

Over: N. Fork Arikaree River

0.25 Mi. N. of Co. Rd. 0, Washington, CO

Built 1995 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10

US 85 ML NBND

Poor

Over: CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER

N. EDGE OF GREELEY, Weld, CO

Built 1962 Load: 32.8 t ADT: 11,000

COUNTY ROAD 33

Poor

Over: HELL CREEK

0.7 MILE SOUTH OF ROAD 3K, Lincoln, CO

Built 1955 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROAD Y

Poor

Over: ROCKY FORD HIGHLINE CANA

JUST E OF CR 16, Otero, CO

Built 1964 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 8

COUNTY ROAD

Poor

Over: I 25 ML

4.4 MI S of AGUILAR INT., Las Animas, CO

Built 1958 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 8,500

COUNTY ROAD 23

Poor

Over: S. FORK REPUBLICAN RIVER

2 MI NORTH COUNTY RD AA, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1963 Load: 33.9 t ADT: 35

Showing 8,851-8,900 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.