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

I 70 ML/ FRONTAGE

Fair

Over: FIRST CREEK

1 MI E OF JCT US 40, Adams, CO

Built 1974 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 27,000

US 285 ML

Fair

Over: DEER CREEK

3.3 MI N.E. OF BAILEY, Park, CO

Built 1958 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 14,000

US 24 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

E EDGE OF LIMON, Lincoln, CO

Built 2011 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 1,700

SH 141 ML

Fair

Over: JOHN BROWN CREEK

.5 MI S OF GATEWAY, Mesa, CO

Built 1955 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 260

US 50 ML

Fair

Over: SANDY CREEK

4.3 MI. EAST OF COTOPAXI, Fremont, CO

Built 1989 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 3,300

US 50 ML

Fair

Over: AIRPORT ROAD

2.8 MI E OF JCT SH 96, Pueblo, CO

Built 1982 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 14,000

SH 71 ML

Fair

Over: LAKE CANAL

3.2 MI NO OF JCT US 50 ML, Otero, CO

Built 2018 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 1,700

US 160 ML

Fair

Over: MARTINEZ CREEK

8 MI W OF PAGOSA SPRINGS, Archuleta, CO

Built 1972 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 8,700

CR17/ GERBAZ WAY

Fair

Over: ROARING FORK RIVER

JUST EAST OF HWY 82, Pitkin, CO

Built 1989 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 1,158

US 285 ML

Fair

Over: N. FORK S. PLATTE RIVER

6.8 MI N.E. OF KENOSHA PA, Park, CO

Built 1962 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 6,400

CO RD 742

Fair

Over: TAYLOR RIVER

3.7 MI NE OF ALMONT, Gunnison, CO

Built 2001 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 978

I 25 ML NBND

Fair

Over: Uintah Street

I25 NBND over Uintah St, El Paso, CO

Built 2000 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 56,500

County Road 29

Fair

Over: Big Thompson River

Junction with Co Rd 22H, Larimer, CO

Built 1978 Load: 45.5 t ADT: 332

Jericho Road

Fair

Over: Grand/Shadow Mtn Channel

100 S Jct w/Lakeside, Grand, CO

Built 1991 Load: 45.6 t ADT: 633

US 138 ML

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

7.1 MI NE OF JCT US 6 STE, Logan, CO

Built 1990 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 2,500

CO RD 742

Fair

Over: TAYLOR RIVER

6.2 MI NE OF ALMONT, Gunnison, CO

Built 2001 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 1,133

COUNTY RD 75.0

Fair

Over: UNNAMED NATURAL DRAINAGE

0.7 MI N OF CR 32.4, Las Animas, CO

Built 1984 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 129

County Road 2

Fair

Over: Denver Hudson Canal

1.2 Mi E of CR 39, Weld, CO

Built 2007 Load: 45.8 t ADT: 613

COUNTY ROAD 337

Fair

Over: RIO BLANCO RIVER

8.0 MI SE OF PAGOSA SPGS, Archuleta, CO

Built 1940 Load: 45.9 t ADT: 36

COUNTY ROAD GG.5

Fair

Over: GARLAND DITCH

0.7 MI WSW OF FT. GARLAND, Costilla, CO

Built 1997 Load: 45.9 t ADT: 41

BALSAM STREET

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK TRIB

JUST WEST OF CORINTH DR., El Paso, CO

Built 1998 Load: 45.9 t ADT: 1,634

DELGANY ST RAMP

Fair

Over: RAILROAD

NORTH OF PARK AVE WEST, Denver, CO

Built 1995 Load: 45.9 t ADT: 5,944

WEWATTA ST RAMP

Fair

Over: RAILROAD/RTD

WEST OF PARK AVE WEST, Denver, CO

Built 1996 Load: 45.9 t ADT: 9,420

HOOKS LANE

Fair

Over: ROARING FORK RIVER

1.2 M S US 82 OFF WILLITS, Eagle, CO

Built 1987 Load: 45.9 t ADT: 2,426

County Road 124E

Fair

Over: North Boulder Creek

0.1 Mi NE of St Hwy 7, Boulder, CO

Built 1994 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 214

SAINT ELMO AVE

Fair

Over: CHEYENNE CREEK

.2 MI E OF CASCADE, El Paso, CO

Built 1959 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 1,695

DAKAN ROAD

Fair

Over: WEST PLUM CREEK

.3 MI WEST OF CO RD 105, Douglas, CO

Built 1966 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 269

SH 121 ML

Fair

Over: RALSTON CREEK

JUST N. OF RALSTON RD, Jefferson, CO

Built 1996 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 41,000

CR 13A / Quincy St

Fair

Over: OAK CREEK

.2 MI E of Churchill, Fremont, CO

Built 1999 Load: 46.0 t ADT: 1,473

North 55th Street

Fair

Over: Boulder Creek

0.1 Mi N of Flatiron Pkwy, Boulder, CO

Built 1985 Load: 46.1 t ADT: 11,600

I25 ML

Fair

Over: LRT

LRT TO I225 LRT UNDER I25, Denver, CO

Built 2004 Load: 46.1 t ADT: 223,000

Prospect Road

Fair

Over: Spring Creek

0.2 Mi E of Timberline Rd, Larimer, CO

Built 1987 Load: 46.1 t ADT: 24,628

16th St/9th Ave.

Fair

Over: Greeley No. 3 Ditch

16th St/9th Avenue, Weld, CO

Built 1985 Load: 46.1 t ADT: 14,200

COUNTY ROAD 109

Fair

Over: NORTH RUSH CREEK

0.9 MILE NORTH OF ROAD Y, Lincoln, CO

Built 1991 Load: 46.1 t ADT: 85

County Road W

Fair

Over: Riverside Canal

0.4 Mi E of Co Rd 17, Morgan, CO

Built 1965 Load: 46.2 t ADT: 543

COUNTY ROAD 806

Fair

Over: RIO GRANDE RIVER

2.2 MI S OF CREEDE, Mineral, CO

Built 1997 Load: 46.2 t ADT: 869

MASONIC PARK DR.

Fair

Over: RIO GRANDE RIVER

3.5 MI NW OF SOUTH FORK, Rio Grande, CO

Built 1993 Load: 46.2 t ADT: 112

YORK STREET

Fair

Over: BIG DRY CREEK

200 FT S OF 156TH AVE, Adams, CO

Built 1995 Load: 46.2 t ADT: 8,778

MCINTYRE ST

Fair

Over: FARMERS HIGHLINE CANAL

MCINTYRE/67TH/LUPINE CIR, Jefferson, CO

Built 1994 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 223

COUNTY ROAD 73

Fair

Over: BEAR CREEK

AT JCT W/ HWY 74, Jefferson, CO

Built 2003 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 15,760

ACCESS TO COORS FD

Fair

Over: 20TH STREET

0.2 MI W OF WYNKOOP, Denver, CO

Built 1994 Load: 46.3 t

US 385 ML

Fair

Over: N FK REPUBLICAN RIVER

IN WRAY, Yuma, CO

Built 2008 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 3,600

US 50 ML

Fair

Over: DRAW

5.9 MI E OF JCT SH 67 S, Fremont, CO

Built 1949 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 11,000

County Road Q

Fair

Over: Fort Morgan Canal

0.1 Mi E of Co Rd 18.5, Morgan, CO

Built 1995 Load: 46.3 t ADT: 2,351

120TH AVENUE

Fair

Over: BOX ELDER CREEK

0.3 MI WEST OF WATKINS RD, Adams, CO

Built 1997 Load: 46.4 t ADT: 2,358

ACADEMY BLVD

Fair

Over: RAMP TO SB ACADEMY

0.12 MI S. OF DRENNAN RD., El Paso, CO

Built 2011 Load: 46.4 t ADT: 18,567

SH 52 ML

Fair

Over: LOWER BOULDER CANAL

4.1 MI E OF JCT US 287, Weld, CO

Built 1963 Load: 46.4 t ADT: 14,000

SH 93 ML

Fair

Over: COAL CREEK

3.5 MI NO OF JCT SH 72, Boulder, CO

Built 1965 Load: 46.4 t ADT: 16,000

US 85 ML

Fair

Over: PED UNDRPAS LITTLE CRK

.1 MI S OF BOWLES AVE., Arapahoe, CO

Built 1982 Load: 46.4 t ADT: 50,000

CO RD 38

Fair

Over: TOMICHI CREEK

1.7 MI SW OF GUNNISON, Gunnison, CO

Built 1993 Load: 46.4 t ADT: 1,279

Showing 4,551-4,600 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.