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

WB 56TH AVENUE

Fair

Over: FIRST CREEK

.2 MILES WEST OF TOWER RD, Denver, CO

Built 2000 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 14,732

SH 93 ML

Fair

Over: AGGREGATE ROAD

3 MI NO OF JCT SH 72, Jefferson, CO

Built 1999 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 16,000

RAMP TO I 70 ML

Fair

Over: 48TH AVE RR SPUR R

0.4 MI N. OF I25/I70, Denver, CO

Built 1993 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 200,000

RAMP TO PARK AVE

Fair

Over: I 25 ML RAMPS R

IN DENVER, Denver, CO

Built 1998 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 19,955

I 225 NB RAMP

Fair

Over: I 70 ML

DENVER, Adams, CO

Built 1997 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 60,500

E-470 On-Ramp

Fair

Over: Cottonwood Creek

0.47 MI FROM I-25, Douglas, CO

Built 2003 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 800

Ireland Way

Fair

Over: E-470

7.78 MI FROM I25, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1996 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 46,000

Hampden Avenue

Fair

Over: E-470

14.32 MI FROM I25, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1997 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 10,000

E-470 Ramp H

Fair

Over: I-70 Colfax E470 ML

E-470/I-70 Int., Arapahoe, CO

Built 2007 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 30,400

E-470 ML

Fair

Over: First Creek

0.35 MI North of I-70, Adams, CO

Built 1996 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 36,174

26th Avenue

Fair

Over: E-470

21.43 MI FROM I25, Adams, CO

Built 1997 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 1,900

48th Avenue-Future

Fair

Over: E-470

23.43 MI FROM I25, Adams, CO

Built 1997 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 29,000

56th Avenue

Fair

Over: E-470

24.44 MI FROM I25, Adams, CO

Built 1996 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 10,300

88th Avenue

Fair

Over: E-470

29.39 MI FROM I25, Adams, CO

Built 1996 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 43,000

96th Avenue

Fair

Over: E-470

30.46 MI FROM I25, Adams, CO

Built 1996 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 43,000

104th Avenue

Fair

Over: E-470

31.57 MI FROM I25, Adams, CO

Built 1996 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 4,000

112th Avenue

Fair

Over: E-470

32.57 MI FROM I25, Adams, CO

Built 1996 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 4,000

FALCON HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: SQUIRREL CREEK

0.2 MI W OF PEYTON HWY, El Paso, CO

Built 1965 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 1,804

SLOCUM ROAD

Fair

Over: WEST FORK SQUIRREL CREEK

1.6 MI N OF HIGHWAY 94, El Paso, CO

Built 1998 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 454

SH 177 ML

Fair

Over: BIG DRY CREEK

JUST NO OF ARAPAHOE ROAD, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1968 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 29,000

QUINCY AVE.

Fair

Over: I25 ML & LRT

JUST N OF I-225 INTRCHNGE, Denver, CO

Built 2004 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 10,730

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: RATTLESNAKE CREEK

4.4 MI E JCT US 36-BYERS, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1989 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 6,000

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: RATTLESNAKE CREEK

4.4 MI E OF JCT 36-BYERS, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1989 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 6,000

US 40 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

19.2 MI SE OF HUGO, Lincoln, CO

Built 1937 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 3,300

County Road 89

Fair

Over: Harmony No. 1 Canal

0.4 Mi N of Co Rd 64.5, Logan, CO

Built 1992 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 14

SH 145 ML

Fair

Over: STONER CREEK

15 MILES NE OF DOLORES, Montezuma, CO

Built 2000 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 1,800

US 550 SBND ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

2 MI NORTH OF NEW MEXICO, La Plata, CO

Built 1999 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 4,050

Specker Ave.

Fair

Over: I Ditch

100 YD E INT W/BARKELEY, El Paso, CO

Built 2008 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 1,000

County Road 4.5

Fair

Over: Brighton Ditch

0.5 Mi S of Co Rd 6, Weld, CO

Built 1999 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 301

US 385 ML

Fair

Over: SOUTH PLATTE RIVER

0.6 MI N OF JCT I76, Sedgwick, CO

Built 1956 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 1,600

SH 157 ML

Fair

Over: WALNUT STREET

IN BOULDER, Boulder, CO

Built 1981 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 43,000

SH 194 ML

Fair

Over: FORT LYON CANAL

11 MI EAST OF JCT SH 109, Bent, CO

Built 1956 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 420

County Road 52

Fair

Over: N. Sterling Outlet Canal

0.4 Mi E of Co Rd 47, Logan, CO

Built 2009 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 5

County Road 27E

Fair

Over: Rist Creek

100 Ft N of Co Rd 52E, Larimer, CO

Built 1984 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 99

NWP EB

Fair

Over: US 287

5.95 FROM I-25, Broomfield, CO

Built 2002 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 12,000

NWP WB

Fair

Over: US 287

5.95 FROM I-25, Broomfield, CO

Built 2002 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 12,000

COUNTY ROAD 10N

Fair

Over: FARMERS UNION CANAL

.6 MI E OF COUNTY ROAD 4W, Rio Grande, CO

Built 1997 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 150

County Road 18

Fair

Over: Sand Creek

0.7 Mi E of Co Rd 71, Weld, CO

Built 2000 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 164

TITAN ROAD

Fair

Over: PLUM CREEK

0.3 MI WEST OF SANTA FE, Douglas, CO

Built 1996 Load: 41.0 t ADT: 19,747

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: WEST VAIL ROAD

WEST VAIL, Eagle, CO

Built 1969 Load: 41.0 t ADT: 16,500

Berthoud Dale Ln.

Fair

Over: Big Thompson River

10 Ft S of US Hwy 34, Larimer, CO

Built 1977 Load: 41.0 t ADT: 26

SH 14 ML

Fair

Over: POUDRE VALLEY CANAL

1.7 MI W OF 287-TEDS PLAC, Larimer, CO

Built 1984 Load: 41.1 t ADT: 2,100

COUNTY ROAD KK

Fair

Over: TRIB. OF TWO BUTTES CRK

.7 MI E OF CR O, Baca, CO

Built 1989 Load: 41.1 t ADT: 14

US 285 ML

Fair

Over: HIGHLINE CANAL

HAMPDEN/WELLSHIRE G.C., Arapahoe, CO

Built 1960 Load: 41.1 t ADT: 52,000

US 85 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

4.7 MI N.W. OF SEDALIA, Douglas, CO

Built 2013 Load: 41.1 t ADT: 20,000

COUNTY ROAD DD

Fair

Over: ROCKY FORD CANAL

.6 MI E of CR 21, Otero, CO

Built 1958 Load: 41.1 t ADT: 96

County Road 74

Fair

Over: Lone Tree Creek

100 Ft W of Co Rd 43, Weld, CO

Built 1965 Load: 41.1 t ADT: 806

I 76 ML EBND

Fair

Over: BIJOU CREEK

1 MI EAST OF JCT US 34, Morgan, CO

Built 1966 Load: 41.2 t ADT: 9,500

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: COUNTY ROAD 185

10.5 MI W OF JCT DEERTRAI, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1963 Load: 41.2 t ADT: 6,000

I 70 ML WBND

Fair

Over: DRAW

10 MI W OF LIMON, Elbert, CO

Built 1972 Load: 41.2 t ADT: 5,500

Showing 4,201-4,250 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.