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 65

Fair

Over: S F Williams Fork River

0.77 Mi. So of RC Line, Moffat, CO

Built 1986 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 33

I 25 ML NBND

Fair

Over: LINDEN AVE

IN TRINIDAD, Las Animas, CO

Built 1958 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 8,000

Railroad Avenue

Fair

Over: Rifle Creek

100 N of 9th St (Rif, Garfield, CO

Built 1989 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 11,136

SH 13 ML

Fair

Over: RR SPUR

2.7 Mi West of Craig, Moffat, CO

Built 1978 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 2,800

FILLMORE STREET

Fair

Over: MONUMENT CREEK

0.15 MI E OF I25, El Paso, CO

Built 1961 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 32,155

US 24 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

1.2 MI E OF PEYTON, El Paso, CO

Built 1935 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 5,700

SH 69 ML

Fair

Over: ROAD GULCH

18.9 MI N OF WESTCLIFFE, Fremont, CO

Built 1947 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 420

US 50 ML

Fair

Over: LAS ANIMAS CANAL

12 MI EAST OF LA JUNTA, Bent, CO

Built 1958 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 3,400

US 287 ML

Fair

Over: FORT BENT CANAL

IN LAMAR, Prowers, CO

Built 1947 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 9,200

SH 71 ML

Fair

Over: TIMPAS CREEK

7 MI NO OF JCT US 350, Otero, CO

Built 1948 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 220

COUNTY ROAD 26

Fair

Over: FORT LYON STORAGE CANAL

.1 MI N OF SH 266, Otero, CO

Built 1958 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 6

CR 4F/NAST COLONY

Fair

Over: FRYING PAN RIVER

.3 MI S OF CR 105/MP 31.8, Pitkin, CO

Built 1958 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 3

SHERIDAN BLVD

Fair

Over: LOCAL DRAINAGE

JUST S OF W 120TH AVE, Adams, CO

Built 1964 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 16,503

COUNTY ROAD 5700

Fair

Over: COAL CREEK

3 MI SW OF OLATHE, Montrose, CO

Built 1985 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 104

COUNTY ROAD 6100

Fair

Over: MONTROSE AND DELTA CANAL

.5 MI S OF OAK GROVE, Montrose, CO

Built 1987 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 129

County Road 129

Fair

Over: Mad Creek

5.4 Mi N of US Hwy 40, Routt, CO

Built 1981 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 2,762

WINVIEW ROAD

Fair

Over: BADGER CREEK TRIBUTARY

0.3 MI SO OF 144TH AVE, Adams, CO

Built 1997 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 45

SH 14 ML

Fair

Over: GRIZZLY CREEK

10 MI W OF WALDEN, Jackson, CO

Built 1949 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 1,300

RAMAH ROAD

Fair

Over: BIG SANDY CREEK TRIB.

1.92 MI E OF RAMAH, El Paso, CO

Built 1972 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 36

US 40 ML

Fair

Over: I25 RDWY RR S PLATTE RVR

COLFAX AVE AT I25, Denver, CO

Built 1984 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 49,000

County Road 245

Fair

Over: East Elk Creek

2.0 Mi NW of US Hwy 6, Garfield, CO

Built 1992 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 777

COUNTY ROAD 26.5

Fair

Over: I 70 ML

1.27 MI W / HORIZON DRIVE, Mesa, CO

Built 1965 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 2,120

COUNTY ROAD 29

Fair

Over: I 70 ML

3.5 MI W / GJ I-70 BUS RT, Mesa, CO

Built 1964 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 193

US 85 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

2.2 MI NW OF FOUNTAIN, El Paso, CO

Built 1930 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 17,000

COUNTY ROAD 40

Fair

Over: LANDSMAN CREEK

3.2 MILES NORTH OF I-70, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1972 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 301

County Road 23E

Fair

Over: Dry Creek Tributary

0.8 Mi N of Co Rd 4, Larimer, CO

Built 1987 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 1,838

CHEROKEE STREET

Fair

Over: LITTLES CREEK

AT WEST STERNE PKWY, Arapahoe, CO

Built 2000 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 1,756

SH 149 ML

Fair

Over: NORTH CLEAR CREEK

24 MILES SW OF LAKE CITY, Hinsdale, CO

Built 1956 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 370

COUNTY ROAD PP

Fair

Over: TRIBUTARY OF AMITY CANAL

JUST E OF CR 8, Prowers, CO

Built 1975 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 331

COUNTY ROAD 3E

Fair

Over: RIO GRANDE RIVER

1.5 MI N OF CR 1S, Rio Grande, CO

Built 1970 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 1,772

County Road 41

Fair

Over: Little Owl Creek

0.95 Mi N of Co Rd 100, Weld, CO

Built 1992 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 36

County Road LL.5

Fair

Over: S. Fork Republican River

0.45 Mi N of Co Rd 4, Yuma, CO

Built 1989 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 45

FSR 250.6A

Fair

Over: CONEJOS RIVER

.10 MI ON FSR 250.6A, Conejos, CO

Built 1969 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 116

COUNTY ROAD 24

Fair

Over: FT. LYON CANAL

2.3 MI N US 50, Bent, CO

Built 1983 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 87

US 287 ML

Fair

Over: DITCH

120TH AVE IN WESTMINSTER, Adams, CO

Built 1965 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 35,000

US 24 ML

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

IN BUENA VISTA, Chaffee, CO

Built 1969 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 13,000

NUGGET LANE

Fair

Over: GORE CREEK

0.01 MI S STREAMSIDE CIR, Eagle, CO

Built 1981 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 120

County Road 52E

Fair

Over: Elk River

0.4 Mi W of Co Rd 129, Routt, CO

Built 1981 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 227

W BEAVER CK BLVD

Fair

Over: EAGLE RIVER

0.1 MI N OF SH6, Eagle, CO

Built 1979 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 3,391

CO RD CLUBHOUSE WY

Fair

Over: LAPIN CREEK

0.1 MI N OF AIRPORT ROAD, Custer, CO

Built 1980 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 58

CRYSTAL VALLEY PKY

Fair

Over: EAST PLUM CREEK AND RR

0.15 MI E OF FRONTAGE RD, Douglas, CO

Built 2008 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 12,887

COUNTY ROAD 306

Fair

Over: I 70 ML CLEAR CREEK

3.7 MI NO OF GEORGETOWN I, Clear Creek, CO

Built 1965 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 183

SH 30 ML/6TH AVE

Fair

Over: TOLLGATE CREEK

0.2 MI E OF I225 IN AUROR, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1978 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 30,000

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: I 70 ML

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

Built 1963 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 69

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: KYLE RR

0.7 MI E OF JCT SH 71, Lincoln, CO

Built 1975 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 6,000

COUNTY ROAD 33

Fair

Over: I 70 ML

12 MI W OF JCT SH 65 ML, Mesa, CO

Built 1963 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 226

CR 31XX/MEANS AVE.

Fair

Over: MARSHALL CREEK

JUST S OF SH 50, Saguache, CO

Built 1986 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 140

County Road 59

Fair

Over: Willow Creek

2.8 Mi S of Co Rd 120, Weld, CO

Built 1992 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 5

SH 157 ML

Fair

Over: BEAR CANYON CREEK

NEAR COLORADO AVE., Boulder, CO

Built 1978 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 38,000

SH 52 ML

Fair

Over: S PLATTE RIVER OVRFLW

.5 MI W OF FT LUPTON, Weld, CO

Built 1957 Load: 24.2 t ADT: 13,000

Showing 1,051-1,100 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.