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)

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.

All Bridges in Colorado

SH 13 ML

Fair

Over: WILLIAMS FK RIVER

11.5 MI S OF CRAIG, Moffat, CO

Built 1980 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 1,500

EB UINTAH ST

Fair

Over: MONUMENT CREEK

.1 MI E OF I-25, El Paso, CO

Built 2001 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 15,110

SH 157 ML NBND

Fair

Over: SOUTH BOULDER ROAD

0.08 MI N OF JCT US 36, Boulder, CO

Built 1973 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 19,000

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: US 6 RR EAGLE RIVER

12.3 MI E OF JCT SH 131, Eagle, CO

Built 1972 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 19,000

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: I-70 FRONTAGE RD

EAST END OF VAIL, Eagle, CO

Built 1975 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 12,500

POWHATON ROAD

Fair

Over: I 70 ML

2.7 MI E OF JCT US 40, Adams, CO

Built 1976 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 3,222

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

7.6 MI. W. OF JCT. SH 57, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1964 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 4,500

I 25 ML

Fair

Over: TEACHOUT CREEK

9.0 MI N OF JCT SH 83 ML, El Paso, CO

Built 1926 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 84,000

Grand Avenue

Fair

Over: Colorado River

50 W of Jct Grand/Pa, Grand, CO

Built 1984 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 756

SH 120 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

3 MI E OF PORTLAND, Fremont, CO

Built 1925 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 190

104TH Street

Fair

Over: NWP

6.98 MI FROM I-25, Broomfield, CO

Built 2002 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 1,520

COUNTY ROAD LL

Fair

Over: WILEY DRAINAGE

.9 MI E OF US287, Prowers, CO

Built 1996 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 75

County Road 22

Fair

Over: Beebe Seep Canal

1.5 Mi E of Co Rd 41, Weld, CO

Built 1994 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 713

I 76 ML WBND

Fair

Over: COUNTY ROAD 29

8.2 MI SW OF JCT US 385, Sedgwick, CO

Built 1970 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 4,000

I 76 ML EBND

Fair

Over: COUNTY ROAD 29

6.9 MI NE OF JCT SH 59, Sedgwick, CO

Built 1970 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 4,000

136TH AVENUE

Fair

Over: FULTON LATERAL

JUST E OF POTOMAC STREET, Adams, CO

Built 1999 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 4,668

ROMERO ST.

Fair

Over: GONZALES CREEK

500 FEET N OF MAIN ST, Las Animas, CO

Built 1989 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 258

COUNTY ROAD 6

Fair

Over: HACKBERRY CREEK

1.8 MI N OF CR TT.4, Baca, CO

Built 1960 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 2

FRANCEVL COALMN RD

Fair

Over: JIMMY CAMP CREEK

.86 MI S OF HWY 94, El Paso, CO

Built 1965 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 32

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: ELKHORN DRIVE

VAIL VALLEY DRIVE, Eagle, CO

Built 1969 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 12,500

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: COUNTY ROAD

5 MI E OF EISENHOWER TUNN, Clear Creek, CO

Built 1972 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 16,500

SH 121 ML

Fair

Over: SANDERSON GULCH

JUST S. OF JEWELL AVE., Jefferson, CO

Built 1976 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 42,000

SH 86 ML

Fair

Over: EAST BIJOU CREEK

18.5 MI E OF KIOWA, Elbert, CO

Built 1966 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 840

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: US 6 ML

W END OF GRAND JUNCTION, Mesa, CO

Built 1969 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 4,200

US 24 ML WBND

Fair

Over: CITY ST UP RR DITCH

.2 MI E OF JCT I-25, El Paso, CO

Built 1990 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 47,000

SH 115 ML

Fair

Over: US 50 ML

2.9 MI E OF JCT SH 120, Fremont, CO

Built 1973 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 4,500

SH 115 ML

Fair

Over: CHANDLER CREEK

0.6 Mi W OF FLORENCE, Fremont, CO

Built 1967 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 5,900

SH 45 PUEBLO BLVD

Fair

Over: RR ARKANSAS RIVER

W SIDE of PUEBLO, Pueblo, CO

Built 1973 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 23,000

COUNTY ROAD G

Fair

Over: LANDSMAN CREEK

0.7 MILES WEST OF ROAD 28, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1992 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 55

US 50 ML

Fair

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK

20 MI EAST OF LAS ANIMAS, Bent, CO

Built 1937 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 2,300

PRINCE STREET

Fair

Over: LITTLES CREEK

2 BLKS S OF MAIN ST, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1981 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 2,600

COUNTY ROAD SS

Fair

Over: FT. LYON CANAL

JUST W OF CR 6, Prowers, CO

Built 1960 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 183

WADSWORTH BLVD

Fair

Over: BIG DRY CREEK

0.05 MI N OF 98TH AVE, Jefferson, CO

Built 2009 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 8,654

IRR# COUNTY RD 334

Fair

Over: ALLISON DITCH

2 MI N OF SH 151, La Plata, CO

Built 1989 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 210

BIG CIMARRON RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE CIMARRON CREEK

.14 MI S OF SH 50, Montrose, CO

Built 1970 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 26

I 25 ML SBND

Fair

Over: FRONTAGE ROAD

9.9 MI S OF WYOMING S.L., Larimer, CO

Built 1963 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 12,500

I 25 ML SBND

Fair

Over: FRONTAGE ROAD

8.7 MI S OF WYOMING S.L., Larimer, CO

Built 1963 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 12,500

I 25 ML SBND

Fair

Over: FRONTAGE ROAD

7.5 MI S OF WYOMING S.L., Larimer, CO

Built 1963 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 12,500

I 25 ML SBND

Fair

Over: FARM ACCESS ROAD

5.6 MI S OF WYOMING S.L., Weld, CO

Built 1963 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 10,000

I 25 ML NBND

Fair

Over: FARM ACCESS ROAD

4.4 MI S OF WYOMING S.L., Weld, CO

Built 1963 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 10,000

I 25 ML NBND

Fair

Over: FARM ACCESS ROAD

2.2 MI S OF WYOMING S.L., Weld, CO

Built 1963 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 10,000

I 25 ML SBND

Fair

Over: FARM ACCESS ROAD

2.2 MI SO OF WYOMING S.L., Weld, CO

Built 1963 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 10,000

47TH STREET

Fair

Over: SH 157 ML

NEAR SH 119 IN BOULDER, Boulder, CO

Built 1989 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 12,000

UTICA ST

Fair

Over: WEIR GULCH

AT BAYAUD STREET, Denver, CO

Built 1977 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 651

SH 72 ML

Fair

Over: SOUTH BOULDER CREEK

IN PINECLIFF, Boulder, CO

Built 1979 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 1,500

SWEET ROAD

Fair

Over: BIG SANDY CREEK TRIB.

.4 MI E OF MCCLELLAND RD, El Paso, CO

Built 1965 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 116

WASHINGTON ROAD

Fair

Over: HORSE CREEK

JUST W OF YODER ROAD, El Paso, CO

Built 1966 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 43

RAMP/EB OFFRAMP

Fair

Over: DRAW R

GLENWD CANYN BAIR RANCH I, Garfield, CO

Built 1985 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 3,963

SH 8 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

SOUTH OF MORRISON, Jefferson, CO

Built 1935 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 4,000

SH 83 ML

Fair

Over: ANTELOPE CREEK

10.9 MI N EL PASO- DOUGLA, Douglas, CO

Built 1968 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 4,400

Showing 2,101-2,150 of 8,965 bridges

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.

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.