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 125

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

7.8 MILES N OF COLO 86, Elbert, CO

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 62

COUNTY ROAD 158

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

0.5 MILE EAST OF ROAD 125, Elbert, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 105

COUNTY ROAD 162

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK TRIB

0.5 MILE EAST OF ROAD 125, Elbert, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 63

COUNTY ROAD 162

Fair

Over: KIOWA CREEK

3.9 MILES EAST OF ROAD 21, Elbert, CO

Built 1966 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 120

COUNTY ROAD 162

Fair

Over: EAST BIJOU CREEK

5.3 MILES E OF ROAD 125, Elbert, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 105

COUNTY ROAD 166

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

0.5 MILE EAST OF ROAD 125, Elbert, CO

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 63

COUNTY ROAD 166

Fair

Over: MIDDLE BIJOU CREEK

2 MILES WEST OF ROAD 125, Elbert, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 105

COUNTY ROAD 17

Fair

Over: WEST KIOWA CREEK

6.0 MI SW OF TOWN OF ELBT, Elbert, CO

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 130

COUNTY ROAD 178

Fair

Over: BIJOU CREEK TRIB

0.5 MILE WEST OF I-70, Elbert, CO

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 40

COUNTY ROAD 178

Fair

Over: BIJOU CREEK

0.4 MILE WEST OF I-70, Elbert, CO

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 41

COUNTY ROAD 182

Fair

Over: W BIJOU CREEK TRIB

0.7 MILE EAST OF ROAD 101, Elbert, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 35

COUNTY ROAD 182

Fair

Over: BIJOU CREEK TRIB

4.7 MILES E OF ROAD 101, Elbert, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 61

COUNTY ROAD 190

Fair

Over: WILSON CREEK

0.7 MILE WEST OF ROAD 125, Elbert, CO

Built 1964 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 113

COUNTY ROAD 194

Fair

Over: BOXELDER CREEK

0.3 MILES W OF CR 29, Elbert, CO

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,932

COUNTY ROAD 69

Fair

Over: WEST BIJOU CREEK TRIB

2.5 MI SOUTH OF CR 98, Elbert, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 98

Fair

Over: WEST BIJOU CREEK

0.3 MILE EAST OF ROAD 69, Elbert, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 36

COUNTY ROAD 98

Fair

Over: EAST BIJOU CREEK

0.5 MILE WEST OF ROAD 89, Elbert, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 57

COUNTY ROAD 99

Fair

Over: W BIJOU CREEK TRIB

0.8 MI. S OF ROAD 102, Elbert, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 51

BROADWAY

Fair

Over: LITTLE DRY CREEK OVRFLW

JUST N OF US 285, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 31,496

CLARKSON STREET

Fair

Over: LITTLE DRY CREEK

.3 MI S OF HAMPDEN AVE, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,616

DARTMOUTH AVE

Fair

Over: SOUTH PLATTE RIVER

.3 MI W OF SANTA FE, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 14,722

Rockwell Street

Fair

Over: Big Thompson River

60 Ft W of East River, Larimer, CO

Built 1971 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,139

Spruce Street

Fair

Over: Fall River

100 Ft N of Elkhorn Ave, Larimer, CO

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,240

WOODMEN RD

Fair

Over: BLK SQUIRREL CRK TRIB

0.4 MI. W. of FALCON, El Paso, CO

Built 2011 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,805

ELBERT ROAD

Fair

Over: KIOWA CREEK

5.2 MI N OF LATIGO BLVD, El Paso, CO

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,805

CHAMBERLIN AVENUE

Fair

Over: FISHERS CANYON CREEK

.2 MI S OF B STREET, El Paso, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,643

VOLLMER ROAD

Fair

Over: WEST KIOWA CREEK

.6 MI N OF SWAN RD., El Paso, CO

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,668

MARSHEFFEL RD SB

Fair

Over: E. FORK SAND CREEK

0.36 MI N OF US24, El Paso, CO

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 9,087

MARKSHEFFEL RD NB

Fair

Over: E. FORK SAND CREEK

0.36 MI N OF US24, El Paso, CO

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 17,441

EASTONVILLE ROAD

Fair

Over: SQUIRREL CREEK TRIBUTARY

0.5 MI N OF JUDGE ORR RD, El Paso, CO

Built 2004 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,255

DRENNAN ROAD

Fair

Over: E. JIMMY CAMP CREEK TRIB

1.6 MI E MARKSHEFFEL RD, El Paso, CO

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 170

J.D. JOHNSON RD

Fair

Over: SQUIRREL CREEK

0.5 MI S OF JONES ROAD, El Paso, CO

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 37

MULBERRY RD

Fair

Over: UNKNOWN DRAINAGE

1.8 MI SOUTH OF FUNK RD, El Paso, CO

Built 2012 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 86

CONSTITUTION AVE

Fair

Over: EAST FORK SAND CREEK

.25 MI W MARKSHEFFEL RD, El Paso, CO

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,646

CONSTITUTION AVE

Fair

Over: EAST FORK SAND CREEK

.4 MI E MARKSHEFFEL RD, El Paso, CO

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,402

CONSTITUTION AVE

Fair

Over: EAST FORK SAND CREEK

.6 MI E MARKSHEFFEL RD, El Paso, CO

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,740

BLACK FOREST ROAD

Fair

Over: BURGESS CREEK

0.4 MI SOUTH OF SHOUP RD, El Paso, CO

Built 2012 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,385

INDUSTRY ROAD

Fair

Over: EAST FORK SAND CREEK

.1 MI E OF MARKSHEFFEL RD, El Paso, CO

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,073

ROLLING THUNDER WY

Fair

Over: LOCAL DRAINAGE

0.2 MI W OF MERIDIAN RD, El Paso, CO

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,908

Cheeseman Street

Fair

Over: Coal Creek

300 Yd E of Cattail St, Weld, CO

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 104

CR 1 (Co Line Rd)

Fair

Over: Lower Boulder Ditch

0.4 Mi N of Cheeseman St, Weld, CO

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,611

County Road 396

Fair

Over: Big Thompson River

0.2 Mi So of 54 ST RD, Weld, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 132

County Road 33

Fair

Over: Union Ditch

50 Ft So of Co Rd 394, Weld, CO

Built 1940 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 369

49th Street (CR52)

Fair

Over: Ashcroft Draw

0.9 Mi E of 47th Ave, Weld, CO

Built 1965 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,459

I 70 ML

Fair

Over: SH 82 ML

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Garfield, CO

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 24,000

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: HILLSIDE

.1 MI E OF HANGING LAKE T, Garfield, CO

Built 1993 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 8,500

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: MILLER CREEK

5.1 MI W OF VAIL PASS SUM, Eagle, CO

Built 1977 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,000

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: BLACK GORE CREEK

12.9 MI EAST OF JCT SH 24, Eagle, CO

Built 1977 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,000

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: BLACK GORE CREEK

9.1 MI WEST OF JCT SH 91, Eagle, CO

Built 1977 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,000

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: CO RD GORE CREEK

10.7 MI E OF JCT SH24, Eagle, CO

Built 1977 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,000

Showing 2,851-2,900 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.