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 12

Fair

Over: PLUM CREEK

.8 MI S OF CR JJ, Baca, CO

Built 1930 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 21

COUNTY ROAD 36

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK CIMARRON RVR

.8 MI N OF CR M, Baca, CO

Built 1960 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 48

SH 257 ML

Fair

Over: GREELEY CANAL

1.7 MI N/ SH 392/WINDSOR, Weld, CO

Built 1966 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 7,700

TABLE MESA DRIVE

Fair

Over: US 36 ML

IN BOULDER, Boulder, CO

Built 1951 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 44,000

I 70 ML

Fair

Over: CARR STREET

IN ARVADA, Jefferson, CO

Built 1967 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 118,000

I 25 ML

Fair

Over: RAMP TO I25 SB WALNUT ST

I25 SH33 US 40 INTERCHA, Denver, CO

Built 1952 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 212,000

SH 8 ML

Fair

Over: US 285 ML

2 MI SOUTH OF MORRISON, Jefferson, CO

Built 1967 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 3,800

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: AGATE CRK or (BIJOU CRK)

14.2 MI WEST OF RIVERBEND, Elbert, CO

Built 1971 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 5,500

SH 71 ML

Fair

Over: LONG CREEK

10.3 MILES SOUTH OF LIMON, Lincoln, CO

Built 1957 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 700

US 40 ML

Fair

Over: SEVEN MILE CREEK

7.8 MI SE OF HUGO, Lincoln, CO

Built 1978 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 3,000

SH 45 ML SBND

Fair

Over: UP RR

W. EDGE OF PUEBLO, Pueblo, CO

Built 1982 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 10,000

I 25 ML NBND

Fair

Over: Access Road

17.9 MI NO OF JCT SH 165, Pueblo, CO

Built 1963 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 7,500

I 25 ML SBND

Fair

Over: ACCESS ROAD

7.6 MI SO OF JCT US 50 PU, Pueblo, CO

Built 1963 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 7,500

County Road 29

Fair

Over: Missouri Canyon Creek

2.7 Mi N of Co Rd 22H, Larimer, CO

Built 1979 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 330

County Road 70

Fair

Over: North Poudre Canal

50 Ft E of Co Rd 13, Larimer, CO

Built 1950 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 5,642

I 25 ML NBND

Fair

Over: GREENHORN CREEK

23.3 MI NO OF JCT US 160, Pueblo, CO

Built 1948 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 7,000

I 25 ML NBND

Fair

Over: SCROGGS ARROYO

2.6 MI NO OF JCT SH 160, Pueblo, CO

Built 1965 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 7,500

I 25 ML NBND

Fair

Over: TINGLEY CANYON

7.5 MI NO OF JCT SH 239, Las Animas, CO

Built 1969 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 6,000

I 25 ML NBND

Fair

Over: TIMBER CANYON

8.3 MI NO OF JCT SH 239, Las Animas, CO

Built 1969 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 6,000

COUNTY ROAD 9.4

Fair

Over: LAMAR CANAL

.2 MI S OF SH 50, Prowers, CO

Built 1993 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 393

COUNTY ROAD 12

Fair

Over: AMITY CANAL

JUST NORTH OF CR LL, Prowers, CO

Built 1987 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 148

COUNTY ROAD RR

Fair

Over: WILEY DRAINAGE

.7 MI W OF US 285, Prowers, CO

Built 1996 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 52

COUNTY ROAD X

Fair

Over: SAGUACHE CREEK

.3 MI E OF CR 52, Saguache, CO

Built 1984 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 335

County Road 6

Fair

Over: South Platte R. Overflow

1.4 Mi E of Co Rd 23, Weld, CO

Built 2001 Load: 30.9 t ADT: 3,053

COUNTY ROAD 70

Fair

Over: I 25 ML

12 MI NORTH OF JCT SH 14, Larimer, CO

Built 1967 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 5,160

SH 14 ML EBND

Fair

Over: I 25 ML

I-25/MULBERRY INTERCHANGE, Larimer, CO

Built 1966 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 17,500

COUNTY ROAD 36

Fair

Over: FT. LYON CANAL

.5 MI N OF CR TT, Bent, CO

Built 1991 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 31

SH 52 ML

Fair

Over: RIVERSIDE CANAL

3 MI NO FT MORGAN, Morgan, CO

Built 1967 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 2,100

SH 95 ML

Fair

Over: RR SPUR

IN WESTMINSTER, Adams, CO

Built 1976 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 31,000

88TH AVE

Fair

Over: I 76 ML

0.7 MI NE OF JCT US 6, Adams, CO

Built 1972 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 21,430

E-470 NB

Fair

Over: Smith Road & UPRR

21.01 MI FROM I25, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1997 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 19,200

SH 88 (BELLEVIEW)

Fair

Over: GREENWOOD GULCH

2.1 MI W. OF JCT I25, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1991 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 32,000

COUNTY ROAD 10

Fair

Over: I 70 ML

5.1 MI E OF FLAGLER, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1975 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 5

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: COUNTY ROAD 55

7.4 MI. E. OF HWY 385, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1969 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 4,950

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: COUNTY ROAD 55

5.4 MI. W. OF COLO.-KANSA, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1969 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 4,950

SH 9 ML

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FK S.PLATTE RVR

9.7 MI SW OF FAIRPLAY 285, Park, CO

Built 1951 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 2,300

SH 96 ML

Fair

Over: RED CREEK

6.8 MI EAST OF JCT SH 67, Pueblo, CO

Built 1933 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 1,000

US 50 ML WBND

Fair

Over: BNSF RR

1.5 MI E. OF MANZANOLA, Otero, CO

Built 1969 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 2,800

SH 69 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

1.7 MILES NW OF FARISITA, Huerfano, CO

Built 1940 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 740

County Road 22

Fair

Over: S Fork Frenchman Creek

0.7 Mi. No. of Co. Rd. 11, Phillips, CO

Built 1994 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 19

I 25 ML SBND

Fair

Over: N.POUDRE DITCH SAND CRK

17.8 MI SOUTH OF WYOMING, Larimer, CO

Built 1967 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 12,500

County Road 103

Fair

Over: Middle St. Vrain Creek

100 Ft S of St Hwy 72, Boulder, CO

Built 1927 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 56

US 36 ML

Fair

Over: BIG THOMPSON RIVER

IN ESTES PARK, Larimer, CO

Built 1951 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 16,000

COUNTY ROAD FF

Fair

Over: SANGRE DE CRISTO CK

.6 MI W OF SH 159, Costilla, CO

Built 1965 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 17

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: FALL RIVER ROAD

2 MI W OF JCT SH 103, Clear Creek, CO

Built 1965 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 18,000

ELBERT ROAD

Fair

Over: BLACK SQUIRREL CREEK

0.4 MI N OF LATIGO BLVD, El Paso, CO

Built 1996 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 2,050

SH 86 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

20.1 MI E OF KIOWA, Elbert, CO

Built 1958 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 840

SH 71 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

14.7 MI NORTH OF LIMON, Lincoln, CO

Built 1978 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 1,300

Public Road

Fair

Over: Coal Creek

.25 M N of Jct US Hwy 287, Boulder, CO

Built 1927 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 10,350

COUNTY ROAD 22

Fair

Over: LONG CREEK

0.7 MI SOUTH OF ROAD 2T, Lincoln, CO

Built 1971 Load: 31.1 t

Showing 2,251-2,300 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.