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

LAS VEGAS STREET

Fair

Over: SHOOKS RUN

0.35 MI E OF NEVADA AVENU, El Paso, CO

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,523

WYCLIFFE DRIVE

Fair

Over: FISHERS CANYON CREEK

0.1 MI S OF STAR RANCH, El Paso, CO

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,382

SOUTHGATE ROAD

Fair

Over: CHEYENNE CREEK

0.2 MI N OF LAKE AVENUE, El Paso, CO

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,508

FOUNTAIN BLVD

Fair

Over: SHOOKS RUN

0.25 MI E OF NEVADA AVE, El Paso, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 7,080

VINCENT DRIVE

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

0.2 MI N. OF DUBLIN RD, El Paso, CO

Built 1887 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,580

WILLAMETTE AVE

Fair

Over: SHOOKS RUN

JUST W OF EL PASO STREET, El Paso, CO

Built 1955 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,894

WESTMEADOW DRIVE

Fair

Over: FISHERS CANYON CREEK

S OF CHEYENNE MEADOWS ROA, El Paso, CO

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,871

MT WERNER CIRCLE

Fair

Over: CHEYENNE CREEK

0.1 MI N OF RICE ROAD, El Paso, CO

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 729

UINTAH STREET

Fair

Over: SHOOKS RUN

JUST W OF ARCADIA ST, El Paso, CO

Built 1915 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 16,577

DUBLIN BLVD WB

Fair

Over: LOCAL DRAINAGE

INTERSEC. W/WICKLOW CIR, El Paso, CO

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,554

VOYAGER PKWY

Fair

Over: PINE CREEK

0.3 MI S OF BRIARGATE, El Paso, CO

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 19,718

HANCOCK EXPWY EB

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

UNDER HIGHWAY 24, El Paso, CO

Built 1967 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,711

HANCOCK EXPWY WB

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

UNDER HIGHWAY 24, El Paso, CO

Built 1967 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,743

EMERGENCY ACCESS

Fair

Over: TEMPLETON GAP FLOODWAY

150 FT N OF AUSTIN BLUFFS, El Paso, CO

Built 1955 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 560

CIRCLE DRIVE

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

300 FT S OF FOUNTAIN, El Paso, CO

Built 1993 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 25,763

FOUNTAIN BLVD

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

JUST E OF CIRCLE DRIVE, El Paso, CO

Built 1962 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,887

UNION BLVD

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

JUST S OF WOODLAND HILLS, El Paso, CO

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 33,218

AUSTIN BLUFFS PKWY

Fair

Over: TEMPLETON GAP BASIN

0.8 MI W OF ACADEMY BLVD, El Paso, CO

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 46,425

HANCOCK EXPWY

Fair

Over: E. FORK SAND CREEK

0.4 MI W OF ACADEMY BLVD., El Paso, CO

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 24,253

ACADEMY BLVD

Fair

Over: TEMPLETON GAP BASIN

0.6 MI N. OF AUSTIN BLUFF, El Paso, CO

Built 1966 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 41,888

PIKES PEAK AVE

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

0.4 MI W OF ACADEMY BLVD., El Paso, CO

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,157

ACADEMY BLVD

Fair

Over: MAIN STREAM

0.1 MI N OF DRENNAN RD, El Paso, CO

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 34,614

ACADEMY BLVD

Fair

Over: SPRING RUN CREEK

0.3 MI N OF AIRPORT RD, El Paso, CO

Built 1966 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 44,187

ACADEMY BLVD

Fair

Over: LOCAL DRAINAGE

0.4 MI S OF AUSTIN BLUFFS, El Paso, CO

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 55,556

MAIZELAND ROAD

Fair

Over: WEST FORK SAND CREEK

0.25 MI E OF ACADEMY BLVD, El Paso, CO

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,222

PROBY PKWY RAMP C

Fair

Over: ACADEMY/DRENNAN

OVER DRENNAN AND ACADEMY, El Paso, CO

Built 2012 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,899

CONSTITUTION AVE

Fair

Over: WEST FORK SAND CREEK

0.2 MI E OF ACADEMY BLVD, El Paso, CO

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 20,660

HOPEFUL DRIVE

Fair

Over: TEMPLETON GAP

0.4 MI N OF N CAREFREE CI, El Paso, CO

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,586

PLATTE AVENUE

Fair

Over: WEST FORK SAND CREEK

0.75 MI E OF ACADEMY BLVD, El Paso, CO

Built 1969 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 38,255

MONICA DRIVE

Fair

Over: MAIN STREAM

0.15 MI S OF HANCOCK, El Paso, CO

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,018

ORO BLANCO DR

Fair

Over: TEMPLETON GAP FLOODWAY

0.15 MI N OF BARNES RD, El Paso, CO

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,262

CHANCELLOR DR

Fair

Over: FAIRFAX CHANNEL

JUST WEST OF CHANNEL DRIV, El Paso, CO

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,533

GALLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: WEST FORK SAND CREEK

INTER- GALLEY WOOTEN, El Paso, CO

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 16,074

PALMER PARK BLVD

Fair

Over: WEST FORK SAND CREEK

0.8 MI E OF MURRAY BLVD., El Paso, CO

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,065

RESEARCH PARKWAY

Fair

Over: FAIRFAX CHANNEL

JUST W OF CHANNEL DRIVE, El Paso, CO

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,113

WOOTEN ROAD

Fair

Over: WEST FORK SAND CREEK

0.3 MI S OF PLATTE AVE, El Paso, CO

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 794

OAKWOOD BLVD

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK TRIB

0.3 MI S OF DUBLIN BLVD, El Paso, CO

Built 1995 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,721

TROY HILL RD

Fair

Over: W. FORK SAND CREEK

0.4 MI N OF AIRPORT RD, El Paso, CO

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,025

CONSTITUTION AVE

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK

0.3 MI E OF POWERS BLVD, El Paso, CO

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 24,503

N. CAREFREE CIR

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK

0.5 MI E OF POWERS BLVD., El Paso, CO

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 21,024

DUBLIN BLVD

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK

0.2 MI W OF PETERSON RD, El Paso, CO

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,425

BLACK FOREST RD

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

1.0 MI N OF WOODMEN ROAD, El Paso, CO

Built 1963 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,833

BRADLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: LOCAL DRAINAGE

0.2 MI W MARKSHEFFEL RD, El Paso, CO

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,157

BRADLEY ROAD

Fair

Over: LOCAL DRAINAGE

0.1 MI W MARKSHEFFEL RD, El Paso, CO

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 13,157

EAST 7TH STREET

Fair

Over: UNNAMED DRAINAGE

EAST OF L WAY, Montezuma, CO

Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,740

ARAPAHOE ST

Fair

Over: CHERRY CREEK

ARAPAHOE AT SPEER BLVD, Denver, CO

Built 1957 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,374

EB SPEER BLVD

Fair

Over: BASE FILL MATERIAL

ARAPAHOE AT SPEER BLVD, Denver, CO

Built 1957 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 27,920

11TH AVE

Fair

Over: CHERRY CREEK

W 11TH AVE AT SPEER BLVD, Denver, CO

Built 1925 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 6,301

BROADWAY

Fair

Over: CHERRY CREEK

BROADWAY AT SPEER BLVD, Denver, CO

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 30,573

CLARKSON ST

Fair

Over: CHERRY CREEK

CLARKSON AT SPEER BLVD, Denver, CO

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,022

Showing 2,751-2,800 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.