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

HIGHLAND AVENUE

Fair

Over: OIL CREEK DITCH

.2 MI E OF LINCOLN AVE, Fremont, CO

Built 1983 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 187

I 70 AGATE SPUR

Fair

Over: BIJOU CREEK

0.1 MI E OF JCT S.H. 40, Elbert, CO

Built 1958 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 330

COUNTY ROAD 16

Fair

Over: SOUTH BOULDER CREEK

1.0 MI W OF SH 119, Gilpin, CO

Built 1989 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 379

SH 266 ML

Fair

Over: ARKANSAS RIVER

2.2 MI NE OF ROCKY FORD, Otero, CO

Built 1972 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 380

County Road 37

Fair

Over: N. Sterling Outlet Canal

0.6 Mi N of Co Rd 46, Logan, CO

Built 1989 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 308

County road 59

Fair

Over: Keensburg Canal

0.7 Mi So of Co Rd 18, Weld, CO

Built 2001 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 1,236

AIRPORT BLVD

Fair

Over: I-70

AIRPORT BLVD OVER I-70, Adams, CO

Built 1993 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 25,514

COUNTY ROAD 35

Fair

Over: FT. LYON CANAL

0.3 MI N OF CR VV, Bent, CO

Built 1984 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 48

COUNTY ROAD 292B

Fair

Over: CHALK CREEK

.2 MI NW OF CR 162, Chaffee, CO

Built 1989 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 123

I 270 ML WBND

Fair

Over: WASHINGTON STREET

0.3 MI E. OF I 25, Adams, CO

Built 1998 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 37,500

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: HIGHLINE CANAL

0.2 MI E of HORIZON DR., Mesa, CO

Built 1965 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 11,000

SH 141 ML

Fair

Over: UP RR

5.2 M E OF JCT SH 50, Mesa, CO

Built 1984 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 17,000

County Road 14

Fair

Over: Fort Morgan Canal

S of Junction St Hwy 144, Morgan, CO

Built 1993 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 2,038

I 25 ML SBND

Fair

Over: APISHAPA RIVER

1.3 MILES SOUTH OF AGUILA, Las Animas, CO

Built 1959 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 6,000

Governor Basin Rd

Fair

Over: Sneffels Creek

2.4 MI Down CR26, Ouray, CO

Built 2007 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 120

CR 25/25TH LANE

Fair

Over: BESSEMER DITCH

Just S of South Road, Pueblo, CO

Built 1996 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 1,945

GARLAND STREET

Fair

Over: CLEAR CREEK

JUST N OF FRONTAGE RD, Clear Creek, CO

Built 1993 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 675

County Road 72

Fair

Over: New Cache La Poudre Cana

0.6 Mi E of Co Rd 47, Weld, CO

Built 2007 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 62

COUNTY ROAD 8

Fair

Over: BIG SANDY CREEK

0.5 MI S OF SH40/287, Cheyenne, CO

Built 1989 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 18

YOSEMITE ST

Fair

Over: HIGHLINE CANAL

.1 MI N OF CORNELL, Denver, CO

Built 1979 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 1,520

MONACO PARKWAY

Fair

Over: GOLDSMITH GULCH

AT COLO DR & JEWELL, Denver, CO

Built 1965 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 15,005

COLUMBINE ST

Fair

Over: EAST HARVARD GULCH

COLUMBINE ST N OF YALE, Denver, CO

Built 1967 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 805

SH 52 ML

Fair

Over: ROCK CREEK

16 MI E OF JCT SH 79, Morgan, CO

Built 1962 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 650

County Road 202

Fair

Over: Kimball Creek

1.7 Mi West of Co Rd 204, Garfield, CO

Built 1992 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 30

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: COLORADO RIVER

JUST E OF DEBEQUE TUNNEL, Mesa, CO

Built 1985 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 8,500

County Road 41

Fair

Over: N. Sterling Outlet Canal

0.2 Mi N of Co Rd 48, Logan, CO

Built 2000 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 29

County Road 81

Fair

Over: Harmony No. 1 canal

1.9 Mi N of US Hwy 138, Logan, CO

Built 1995 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 154

US 550 ML

Fair

Over: DSNG RR

4 MI N OF HERMOSA, La Plata, CO

Built 1977 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 3,200

STAGESTOP ROAD

Fair

Over: JEFFERSON CREEK

0.4 MI W OF CR 77, Park, CO

Built 1989 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 336

IRR# COUNTY RD 105

Fair

Over: CHERRY CREEK

7 MI S OF SH 160, La Plata, CO

Built 1985 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 42

SANBORN PARK RD

Fair

Over: HORSEFLY CREEK

20.0 MI E OF REDVALE, Montrose, CO

Built 1961 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 86

County Road 64

Fair

Over: Willow Creek

2.0 Mi NW of Co Rd 129, Routt, CO

Built 1950 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 487

88TH AVENUE

Fair

Over: TRIB OF LOST CREEK

0.2 MI W OF CONVERSE ROAD, Adams, CO

Built 1993 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 852

TABOR STREET

Fair

Over: I 70 ML

IN WHEATRIDGE, Jefferson, CO

Built 1967 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 3,587

I 76 ML

Fair

Over: WASHINGTON STREET

0.3 MI E OF I 25, Adams, CO

Built 1990 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 74,000

RAMP TO I76 ML EB

Fair

Over: YORK ST. R

NE OF JCT I25, Adams, CO

Built 2003 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 42,000

CALHAN HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: BIG SANDY CREEK TRIB.

4.1 MI N OF CALHAN, El Paso, CO

Built 1965 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 2,879

SH177ML-UNIVERSITY

Fair

Over: HIGHLINE CANAL

GRNWD VILLAGE @ FIRE STAT, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1965 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 29,000

SH 96 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

9.1 MI E OF HASWELL, Kiowa, CO

Built 1989 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 480

US 50 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

1.2 MI EAST OF JCT SH 196, Bent, CO

Built 1936 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 2,200

SH 69 ML

Fair

Over: MAITLAND ARROYO

3 MI NW OF JCT I 25, Huerfano, CO

Built 1940 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 890

US 138 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

West edge of Ovid, Sedgwick, CO

Built 1930 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 720

COUNTY ROAD 109

Fair

Over: SOUTH ARKANSAS RIVER

1.3 MI SW OF SALIDA, Chaffee, CO

Built 1985 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 50

PEBBLE WAY

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

0.5 MI N ROCKRIMMON, El Paso, CO

Built 1987 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 484

SH 119 ML NB

Fair

Over: BEASLEY DITCH

@ 55TH ST NE OF BOULDER, Boulder, CO

Built 1958 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 22,000

I76 WB OFF RAMP

Fair

Over: RAMP TO I 25 NBND R

0.1 MI E. OF I25+I76 JCT, Adams, CO

Built 1991 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 37,000

S. Shields St

Fair

Over: Larimer Co Canal No 2

0.2 Mi N of Drake St, Larimer, CO

Built 2013 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 26,815

I 70 VONA SPUR

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

18.7 MI. E. OF FLAGLER, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1966 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 190

County Road 30

Fair

Over: Pioneer Drainage Ditch

50 Ft W of Co Rd 39, Logan, CO

Built 1996 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 1,807

County Road 56

Fair

Over: Larimer County Canal

0.3 Mi E of Co Rd 11, Larimer, CO

Built 1999 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 112

Showing 3,251-3,300 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.