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

US 50 ML EBND

Fair

Over: THOMPSON ARROYO

2.6 MI E OF JCT SH 109, Otero, CO

Built 1957 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 1,600

Huron Street

Fair

Over: NWP

0.50 MI FROM I25, Broomfield, CO

Built 2002 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 5,000

COUNTY ROAD 57P

Fair

Over: SAN MIGUEL RIVER

.1 MI S OF SH 145, San Miguel, CO

Built 1987 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 243

US 34 ML

Fair

Over: SHEEP DRAW

6 MI W OF GREELEY, Weld, CO

Built 1999 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 26,000

I76 EB ML

Fair

Over: I76 WB ON RAMP FROM I270

NE OF JCT I25, Adams, CO

Built 2003 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 42,000

US 50 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

5.1 MI E OF JCT SH 96, Pueblo, CO

Built 1926 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 9,200

COUNTY ROAD P

Fair

Over: ADOBE CREEK

10.2 MI W OF SH 96, Kiowa, CO

Built 1992 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 10

COUNTY RD 90.0

Fair

Over: MUDDY CREEK

1.8 MI E OF SH 109, Las Animas, CO

Built 1992 Load: 41.9 t ADT: 12

COUNTY ROAD 19

Fair

Over: CULEBRA CREEK

0.5 MI SW OF CR 21, Costilla, CO

Built 1988 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 88

SH 52 ML

Fair

Over: LITTLE DRY CREEK

5.3 MI E OF JCT I 25, Weld, CO

Built 1959 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 13,000

I 76 ML EBND

Fair

Over: COUNTY ROAD 53

4.9 MI NE OF JCT SH 52, Weld, CO

Built 1961 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 8,000

SCHOOL ACCESS

Fair

Over: LOCAL DRAINAGE

JUST N OF MESA RIDGE PKWY, El Paso, CO

Built 1996 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 106

SH 470 ML WBND

Fair

Over: DUTCH CREEK

.5 MI S. OF BOWLES, Jefferson, CO

Built 1988 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 29,000

SH 83 RAMP

Fair

Over: PEDESTRIAN/BIKEWAY

HAMPDEN AVE./ PARKER RD, Arapahoe, CO

Built 2003 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 74,000

I 70 ML EBND

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK

9.4 MI E OF FLAGLER, Kit Carson, CO

Built 1970 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 5,000

COUNTY ROAD 25

Fair

Over: GOVT. HIGHLINE CANAL

.3 MI N OF RD 25 & J, Mesa, CO

Built 1987 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 142

COUNTY ROAD 4/105

Fair

Over: N. FORK-FRYING PAN RIVER

5 MI E OF REUDI RESERVOIR, Pitkin, CO

Built 1996 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 121

County Road 11

Fair

Over: Highline Canal

0.1 Mi. No. of Co. Rd. 30, Sedgwick, CO

Built 1986 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 13

COUNTY ROAD 2

Fair

Over: ANIMAS RIVER

7.7 MI NE OF SILVERTON, San Juan, CO

Built 1992 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 178

UNION AVE EB

Fair

Over: I-25

UNION AVE OVER I-25, Denver, CO

Built 1992 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 3,727

SH 7 (ARAPAHOE)

Fair

Over: BIKE/PED UNDERPASS

EAST OF JCT SH 7 & SH, Boulder, CO

Built 2006 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 29,000

SCOTTSBURG ROAD

Fair

Over: RTD COMMUTER RAIL

S OF TERMINAL BLDG, Denver, CO

Built 2017 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 24,833

EB RIDGEGATE PKWY

Fair

Over: HAPPY CANYON CREEK

0.73 MI E OF I25, Douglas, CO

Built 2010 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 16,913

I 70 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

0.3 MI W OF JCT US 6-GYPS, Eagle, CO

Built 1979 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 18,000

COUNTY ROAD 323

Fair

Over: I 70 ML

10 MI E OF EISENHOWER TUN, Clear Creek, CO

Built 1971 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 7

I70 ML

Fair

Over: Light Rail

JUST N OF 6TH AVENUE, Jefferson, CO

Built 2010 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 106,000

SH 83 ML

Fair

Over: OVER VAUGHN WAY

I225 & PARKER ROAD, Arapahoe, CO

Built 2003 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 76,000

SH 82 ML

Fair

Over: MAROON CREEK

NE edge of ASPEN, Pitkin, CO

Built 2005 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 22,000

US 287 ML

Fair

Over: US 50 ML

JCT SH 287 WILEY JCT, Prowers, CO

Built 1988 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 4,100

NWP EB

Fair

Over: BNSF

5.81 MI FROM I-25, Broomfield, CO

Built 2002 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 12,000

NWP WB

Fair

Over: BNSF

5.81 MI FROM I-25, Broomfield, CO

Built 2002 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 12,000

EAGLE STREET

Fair

Over: TURKEY CREEK

N. END OF REDCLIFF, Eagle, CO

Built 1993 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 459

COUNTY ROAD KK

Fair

Over: FT. LYON CANAL

1 MI E CR 5.5, Bent, CO

Built 1997 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 28

COUNTY ROAD H

Fair

Over: CULEBRA EASTDALE CANAL

1 MI W OF SH 159, Costilla, CO

Built 1994 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 73

I 25 ML SBND

Fair

Over: FONTANERO ST

I 25 SBND OVER FONTANERO, El Paso, CO

Built 1999 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 62,000

COUNTY RD 41.7

Fair

Over: JAROSA CREEK

0.1 MI S OF CR 42, Las Animas, CO

Built 1996 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 24

COUNTY ROAD 18

Fair

Over: RIO GRANDE RIVER

.3 MI N OF SH 160, Rio Grande, CO

Built 1998 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 249

County Road 102

Fair

Over: Little Owl Creek

0.65 Mi E of Co Rd 39, Weld, CO

Built 1987 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 5

I 25 ML

Fair

Over: 48TH AVE RR SPUR

IN DENVER, Denver, CO

Built 1992 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 200,000

FONTAINE BLVD

Fair

Over: JIMMY CAMP CREEK

0.3 MI E OF MARKSHEFFEL, El Paso, CO

Built 2007 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 2,759

SH 86 ML

Fair

Over: Fork of E. Bijou Creek

19.7 MI E OF KIOWA, Elbert, CO

Built 1961 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 840

PRENTICE STREET

Fair

Over: GOLDSMITH GULCH

.1 MI EAST OF DTC BLVD, Arapahoe, CO

Built 1992 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 4,842

COUNTY ROAD X

Fair

Over: GRANADA CREEK

1.2 MI W OF CR 26, Prowers, CO

Built 2000 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 16

COUNTY ROAD 55

Fair

Over: WHITE WOMAN CREEK

.4 MI N OF CR F, Cheyenne, CO

Built 1996 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 12

SH 119 ML WBND

Fair

Over: ST. VRAIN RIVER

NEAR LONGMONT, Boulder, CO

Built 2003 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 12,000

SH 119 ML

Fair

Over: SMITH HILL CREEK

4.4 MI NO OF JCT US 6, Gilpin, CO

Built 1939 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 9,400

JCT 470W

Fair

Over: US 40 ML & LENA GULCH

I 70 TO US 6, Jefferson, CO

Built 1999 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 3,200

I 70 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

0.75 MI W OF WATKINS INTC, Adams, CO

Built 1960 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 26,000

I 25 ML SBND

Fair

Over: UINTAH STREET

I 25 SBND OVER UINTAH ST, El Paso, CO

Built 1999 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 56,500

I 25 ML NBND

Fair

Over: DRAW

0.5 MI NW OF JCT US 85, El Paso, CO

Built 1956 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 23,500

Showing 4,301-4,350 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.