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

SH 69 ML

Fair

Over: GRAPE CREEK

3 MI NW OF WESTCLIFFE, Custer, CO

Built 1956 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 1,800

COUNTY ROAD 2R

Fair

Over: LONG CREEK

0.2 MILES WEST OF ROAD 23, Lincoln, CO

Built 1967 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 11

County Road 63

Fair

Over: Big Thompson River

0.5 Mi N of US Hwy 36, Larimer, CO

Built 1980 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 3,425

COUNTY ROAD 19

Fair

Over: E. FORK BIG SALT WASH

.7 MI N OF RD O, Mesa, CO

Built 1991 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 61

COUNTY ROAD 31

Fair

Over: GOVT. HIGHLINE CANAL

.7 MI N OF RD F, Mesa, CO

Built 1986 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 314

County Road 61

Fair

Over: Frenchman Creek

0.5 Mi No of Co Rd 14, Phillips, CO

Built 1991 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 92

CHAMBERS ROAD

Fair

Over: WEST TOLLGATE CREEK

1.0 MI N OF ALAMEDA AVE, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1983 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 25,747

SH 392 ML

Fair

Over: GREELEY CANAL NO 2

8.7 MI E OF JCT SH 257, Weld, CO

Built 1955 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 6,500

HODGEN ROAD

Fair

Over: EAST BRANCH CHERRY CREEK

4.3 MI E OF SH 83, El Paso, CO

Built 1985 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 5,836

SH 86 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

24.0 MI E OF KIOWA, Elbert, CO

Built 1963 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 840

COUNTY ROAD 23

Fair

Over: CATLIN CANAL

.1 MI N OF CR 2, Otero, CO

Built 1969 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 184

County Road 27.8

Fair

Over: So. Platte Rvr. Overflow

0.7 Mi. No. of Co. Rd. 28, Sedgwick, CO

Built 1986 Load: 31.6 t ADT: 482

NORTH GATE BLVD EB

Fair

Over: MONUMENT CREEK AND UPRR

0.5 MI WEST OF I-25 EXIT, El Paso, CO

Built 1958 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 5,000

NB AIRPORT BLVD

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK

0.5 MI NORTH OF COLFAX, Adams, CO

Built 1991 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 16,295

EB ALAMEDA AVE

Fair

Over: WEST TOLLGATE CREEK

0.2 MI E OF CHAMBERS RD, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1978 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 13,766

STONEBRIDGE DRIVE

Fair

Over: EAGLE RIVER

0.01 MI N OF SH 6, Eagle, CO

Built 1982 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 1,629

ACADEMY BLVD NB

Fair

Over: WESTMEADOW DRIVE

1.5 MI W. OF I25, El Paso, CO

Built 1979 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 10,992

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: ELK CREEK

NEAR NEW CASTLE, Garfield, CO

Built 1972 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 12,500

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: US 6 RR EAGLE RIVER

2.2 MI E OF JCT US 24, Eagle, CO

Built 1972 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 19,000

COUNTY ROAD 6

Fair

Over: ARKANSAS RIVER

AT COALDALE, Fremont, CO

Built 1910 Load: 31.7 t

14th Street

Fair

Over: Platteville Ditch

0.3 Mi W of US Hwy 85, Weld, CO

Built 1994 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 996

I 25 ML

Fair

Over: UP RR

8.4 MI S OF CASTLE ROCK, Douglas, CO

Built 1980 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 64,000

US 40 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

3.8 MI E OF JCT I-70 ML, Lincoln, CO

Built 1972 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 3,700

SH 94 ML

Fair

Over: W FK BLACK SQUIRREL CRK

11.7 MI E OF JCT US 24, El Paso, CO

Built 1986 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 4,400

US 50 ML

Fair

Over: TEXAS CREEK

7.2 MI E OF COTOPAXI, Fremont, CO

Built 1936 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 3,300

PIERCE STREET

Fair

Over: SANDERSON GULCH

JUST N OF MEXICO DRIVE, Jefferson, CO

Built 1974 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 7,747

SH 109 ML

Fair

Over: RDWY RR ARKANSAS RVR

LA JUNTA, Otero, CO

Built 1967 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 3,800

COUNTY ROAD 13

Fair

Over: AMITY CANAL

1.8 MI N OF SH 196, Prowers, CO

Built 1996 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 150

COUNTY ROAD 28

Fair

Over: BESSEMER DITCH

0.4 MI W OF 27TH LN, Pueblo, CO

Built 1993 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 965

County Road 21

Fair

Over: Vega Creek

0.6 M. E. of Co. Rd. M, Washington, CO

Built 1990 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 27

NFSR 292

Fair

Over: CHALK CREEK

0.5 MI EAST OF ST. ELMO, Chaffee, CO

Built 2014 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 110

County Road 804

Fair

Over: Fraser River

Just N of Safeway Store, Grand, CO

Built 1976 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 3,275

COUNTY ROAD 234

Fair

Over: FLORIDA CANAL

.3 MI N OF CR 237, La Plata, CO

Built 1984 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,598

COUNTY ROAD 93

Fair

Over: SQUAW CREEK

N OF SH50 MP 112.6, Montrose, CO

Built 1927 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 10

County Road 129

Fair

Over: S.Fk Little Snake River

42.6 Mi N of US Hwy 40, Routt, CO

Built 1975 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 131

HARVEST ROAD

Fair

Over: NERES CANAL

0.3 MILE N OF 152ND AVE, Adams, CO

Built 1990 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 889

ALAMEDA AVENUE

Fair

Over: SIDE CREEK

.8 MILE E OF BUCKLEY ROAD, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1981 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 21,034

FRANKLIN ST

Fair

Over: SOUTH PLATTE RIVER

FRANKLIN AT RACE CT, Denver, CO

Built 1965 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,765

8TH AVE

Fair

Over: RAILROAD AND NAVAJO ST

MARIPOSA TO VALLEJO, Denver, CO

Built 1985 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 6,057

COUNTY ROAD 34

Fair

Over: I 25 ML

2 MI NO OF JCT SH 66, Weld, CO

Built 1961 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 7,019

COUNTY ROAD 122

Fair

Over: SOUTH TURKEY CREEK

.7 MI S OF TINYTOWN, Jefferson, CO

Built 1991 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 860

I 76 WBND

Fair

Over: 52ND AVE

1.2 MI E OF WADSWORTH, Jefferson, CO

Built 1983 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 38,000

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: CLEAR CREEK

WHEATRIDGE, Jefferson, CO

Built 1968 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 52,000

88TH AVE

Fair

Over: I 25 ML

IN THORNTON, Adams, CO

Built 1972 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 12,719

S PLATTE RIVER DR.

Fair

Over: LITTLE DRY CREEK

.1 M S OF DARTMOUTH, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1984 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,227

RAILROAD AV

Fair

Over: UP RR

0.3 MI N OF JCT I70, Garfield, CO

Built 1976 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 16,438

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: CITY STREET

2 MI E. OF AVON INT., Eagle, CO

Built 2003 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 19,000

Timberline Road

Fair

Over: Larimer and Weld Canal

0.4 Mi N of Vine Drive, Larimer, CO

Built 1988 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 5,291

SH 86 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

10.4 MI W OF JCT I70, Elbert, CO

Built 1958 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 840

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: HUNTER WASH

4.5 MI E OF JCT SH 340, Mesa, CO

Built 1969 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 9,000

Showing 2,351-2,400 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.