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 85 ML

Poor

Over: I 25 ML

S. EDGE OF COLO. SPRINGS, El Paso, CO

Built 1956 Load: 34.0 t ADT: 22,000

COUNTY ROAD 32

Poor

Over: ADOBE CREEK TRIB

0.2 MILE NORTH OF ROAD J, Lincoln, CO

Built 1956 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 73

I 70 ML WBND

Poor

Over: US 40 ML

WEST OF DENVER, Jefferson, CO

Built 1969 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 35,000

US 34 ML WBND

Poor

Over: US 85 BUS RT

IN EVANS, Weld, CO

Built 1962 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 16,500

COUNTY ROAD UU

Poor

Over: FT. LYON CANAL

1.8 MI W OF CR 8, Prowers, CO

Built 1984 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 36

US 36 ML

Poor

Over: DRAW

2.4 MI E OF JCT I 70, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1931 Load: 35.2 t ADT: 3,400

I 270 ML WBND

Poor

Over: SOUTH PLATTE RIVER

COMMERCE CITY, Adams, CO

Built 1969 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 48,500

I 70 ML EBND

Poor

Over: I 70 BUSS RT

IN DEERTRAIL, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1965 Load: 35.5 t ADT: 6,000

I 76 ML EBND

Poor

Over: YORK STREET

1.4 MI NE OF JCT I 25, Adams, CO

Built 1967 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 42,000

County Road 5

Poor

Over: Piceance Creek

9.9 Mi S of St Hwy 64, Rio Blanco, CO

Built 1970 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 325

I 270 ML EBND

Poor

Over: SOUTH PLATTE RIVER

COMMERCE CITY, Adams, CO

Built 1969 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 48,500

US 40 ML

Poor

Over: CROOKED CREEK

W. EDGE OF TABERNASH, Grand, CO

Built 1941 Load: 36.7 t ADT: 11,000

SLATE RIVER ROAD

Poor

Over: NO DATA ENTERED

8 MILES NW CRESTED BUTTE, Gunnison, CO

Built 2006 Load: 36.9 t ADT: 15

SH 348 ML

Poor

Over: IRONSTONE CANAL

4.5 MI W of Olathe, Montrose, CO

Built 1963 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 590

County Road 62

Poor

Over: Elk River

0.4 Mi W of Co Rd 129, Routt, CO

Built 1982 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 397

I 70 FRONTAGE RD

Poor

Over: ADOBE CREEK SR

2.5 MI E OF FRUITA INT, Mesa, CO

Built 1969 Load: 38.0 t ADT: 2,532

COUNTY RD 89.5

Poor

Over: PATTON ARROYO

0.7 MI S OF SH 160, Las Animas, CO

Built 1940 Load: 38.3 t ADT: 18

ORDINANCE ROAD

Poor

Over: US 50 ML

5.0 MI E OF JCT SH 231 S, Pueblo, CO

Built 1953 Load: 38.4 t ADT: 8,400

160TH AVENUE

Poor

Over: SEEP CANAL

0.6 MILE EAST OF I-76, Adams, CO

Built 1960 Load: 38.8 t ADT: 1,539

BRADBURY-KREBS RD

Poor

Over: SPRING GULCH

0.9 MI S OF 38TH AVENUE, Adams, CO

Built 1977 Load: 38.9 t ADT: 78

HANKS CROSSING RD

Poor

Over: MUDDY CREEK

2.5 MI N OF US36, Adams, CO

Built 1960 Load: 39.7 t ADT: 46

I 270 ML EBND

Poor

Over: DITCH RD BURLINGTON CANA

IN COMMERCE CITY, Adams, CO

Built 1969 Load: 40.0 t ADT: 48,500

SH 392 ML

Poor

Over: CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER

2 MI E OF JCT I 25, Larimer, CO

Built 1959 Load: 40.1 t ADT: 19,000

COUNTY ROAD 321

Poor

Over: HUERFANO-CUCHARAS DITCH

3 MI SE OF BROADACRE RD, Pueblo, CO

Built 1958 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 54

COUNTY ROAD

Poor

Over: I 70 ML

1 MI E OF JCT SH 79, Adams, CO

Built 1959 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 2,335

I 270 ML WBND

Poor

Over: DITCH RD BURLINGTON CANA

IN COMMERCE CITY, Adams, CO

Built 1969 Load: 41.0 t ADT: 48,500

US 50 ML EBND

Poor

Over: APISHAPA RIVER

4.2 MI EAST OF FOWLER, Otero, CO

Built 1957 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 2,350

I 70 ML EBND

Poor

Over: US 40 FRONTAGE ROAD

7.8 MI E OF JCT US 36, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1965 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 6,000

I 70 ML WBND

Poor

Over: US 40 FRONTAGE RD

4.6 MI W OF JCT DEERTRAIL, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1965 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 6,000

US 36 ML WBND

Poor

Over: BOULDER CREEK

28th STREET IN BOULDER, Boulder, CO

Built 1952 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 18,000

I 76 ML EBND

Poor

Over: RAMP TO SH 121 ML

I70 I76 SH121 INTERCHAN, Jefferson, CO

Built 1982 Load: 43.0 t ADT: 38,000

I 70 ML WBND

Poor

Over: COUNTY ROAD 201

6.2 MI W OF JCT DEERTRAIL, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1964 Load: 43.3 t ADT: 6,000

I 70 ML EBND

Poor

Over: COUNTY ROAD 201

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

Built 1964 Load: 43.3 t ADT: 6,000

County Road 4

Poor

Over: Big Hole Gulch

19.6 Mi West of St Hwy 13, Moffat, CO

Built 1950 Load: 43.4 t ADT: 167

I 76 ML EBND

Poor

Over: MARSHALL STREET

.75 MI E. OF WADSWORTH, Jefferson, CO

Built 1980 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 38,000

I 70 ML WBND

Poor

Over: COUNTY ROADS 31N 125

2 MI W OF JCT SH 79, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1960 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 13,000

I 70 ML EBND

Poor

Over: COUNTY ROADS 31N 125

9.4 MI E OF JCT US 36, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1960 Load: 44.3 t ADT: 13,000

I 70 ML WBND

Poor

Over: COUNTY ROADS 26N 105

2 MI E OF WATKINS INTERCH, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1960 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 13,000

I 70 ML EBND

Poor

Over: COUNTY ROADS 26N 105

2 MI E OF WATKINS INTERCH, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1960 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 13,000

I 70 ML WBND

Poor

Over: COUNTY ROADS 28N 113

5 MI W OF JCT SH 79, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1960 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 13,000

I 70 ML EBND

Poor

Over: COUNTY ROADS 28N 113

6.4 MI E OF JCT US 36, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1960 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 13,000

PICADILLY ROAD

Poor

Over: BURLINGTON CANAL

.2 MI S OF 144TH AVENUE, Adams, CO

Built 1992 Load: 44.6 t ADT: 2,480

BIGHORN ROAD

Poor

Over: GORE CREEK

.15 MI EAST OF I70, Eagle, CO

Built 1961 Load: 46.4 t ADT: 243

I 76 ML WBND

Poor

Over: CLEAR CREEK

1.1 M W OF JCT SH 95, Jefferson, CO

Built 1984 Load: 47.6 t ADT: 38,000

INVERNESS DR SOUTH

Poor

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

INTER OF INVERNES WAY, Douglas, CO

Built 1991 Load: 48.4 t ADT: 2,037

I 76 ML WBND

Poor

Over: MARSHALL STREET

IN ARVADA, Jefferson, CO

Built 1980 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 38,000

I 70 ML

Poor

Over: CLEAR CREEK

0.4 MI NE OF JCT US 40, Clear Creek, CO

Built 1965 Load: 59.7 t ADT: 37,000

County Road 66

Poor

Over: Duck Creek

0.9 Mi E of Co Rd 81, Logan, CO

Built 1993 Load: 60.7 t ADT: 44

I 225 ML

Poor

Over: GOLDSMITH GULCH

IN DENVER, Denver, CO

Built 1971 Load: 68.3 t ADT: 128,000

SH 133 ML

Poor

Over: CRYSTAL RIVER

2 MI S OF REDSTONE, Pitkin, CO

Built 1966 Load: 81.8 t ADT: 1,600

Showing 8,901-8,950 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.