National Bridge Inventory: Colorado



  • The state has identified needed repairs on 1,225 bridges.
  • This compares to 1,294 bridges that needed work in 2021.
  • Over the life of the IIJA, Colorado will receive a total of $225.0 million in bridge formula funds, which will help make needed repairs.
  • Colorado currently has access to $180.0 million of that total, and has committed $102.2 million towards 92 projects as of June 2025.
  • Of the 8,990 bridges in the state, 417, or 4.6 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is down from 469 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2021.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 3.7 percent of total deck area on all structures.

Top Most Traveled Structurally Deficient Bridges in Colorado

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Denver 1971 128,000 Urban Interstate I 225 ML over Goldsmith Gulch
Denver 1989 107,500 Urban freeway/expressway Ramp to I 25 NBnd over US 6 Ml
Jefferson 1972 101,000 Urban freeway/expressway US 6 ML over SH 121 Ml
Denver 1962 60,000 Urban freeway/expressway SH 35 ML over Sand Creek
Jefferson 1967 57,000 Urban Interstate I 70 ML EBnd over SH 391 Ml
Jefferson 1967 57,000 Urban Interstate I 70 ML WBnd over SH 391 Ml
Jefferson 1969 53,000 Urban freeway/expressway I 70 WB Ramp over US 6 Ml
Adams 1969 48,500 Urban Interstate I 270 ML WBnd over South Platte River
Adams 1969 48,500 Urban Interstate I 270 EBnd over E 64th Ave, Burlington C
Adams 1969 48,500 Urban Interstate I 270 ML EBnd over South Platte River
Adams 1969 48,500 Urban Interstate I 270 ML WBnd over ditch Rd,Burlington Cana
Adams 1970 48,500 Urban Interstate I 270 ML WBnd over Service Rd, BNSF RR
Adams 1969 48,500 Urban Interstate I 270 ML WBnd over SH 265 Ml,UP RR,BNSF RR
Arapahoe 1955 46,000 Urban other principal arterial US 285 ML over Little Dry Creek
Jefferson 1968 45,500 Urban Interstate I 70 ML WBnd over West 20th Ave
Clear Creek 1959 41,000 Rural minor arterial Ramp to US 6 ML over Clear Creek R
Adams 1940 40,000 Urban other principal arterial SH 6 ML over Sand Creek
Jefferson 1980 38,000 Urban Interstate I 76 ML WBnd over Marshall Street
Jefferson 1984 38,000 Urban Interstate I 76 ML WBnd over Clear Creek
Jefferson 1980 38,000 Urban Interstate I 76 ML EBnd over Marshall Street
Jefferson 1982 38,000 Urban Interstate I 76 ML EBnd over I 70 ML WBnd
Jefferson 1982 38,000 Urban Interstate I 76 ML WBnd over Ramp to SH 121 Ml
Jefferson 1984 38,000 Urban Interstate I 76 ML EBnd over Clear Creek
Jefferson 1982 38,000 Urban Interstate I 76 ML EBnd over Ramp to SH 121 Ml
Jefferson 1969 37,000 Urban other principal arterial SH 391 ML over Clear Creek

Bridge Inventory: Colorado

Type of Bridge Number of Bridges Area of All Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on All Bridges Number of Structurally Deficient Bridges Area of Structurally Deficient Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on Structurally Deficient Bridges
Rural Interstate 545 471,229 6,517,164 29 29,335 309,866
Rural arterial 612 334,690 3,556,284 19 6,478 74,436
Rural minor arterial 689 281,434 1,503,453 34 14,501 91,860
Rural major collector 697 236,806 900,508 46 10,250 33,209
Rural minor collector 825 200,001 519,576 48 8,126 27,043
Rural local road 1,990 369,082 782,080 117 24,772 58,362
Urban Interstate 557 879,757 32,006,435 21 22,468 952,032
Urban freeway/expressway 436 604,488 14,916,087 13 23,004 451,750
Urban other principal arterial 578 720,092 12,061,903 25 25,704 469,358
Urban minor arterial 585 428,024 6,041,051 17 12,205 166,795
Urban collector 519 318,895 3,513,370 21 10,316 104,691
Urban local road 957 417,228 3,071,020 27 9,056 113,734
Total 8,990 5,261,726 85,388,931 417 196,216 2,853,136

Proposed Bridge Work

Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 236 $338 1,679,255 111,024
Widening & rehabilitation 244 $318 3,043,548 150,825
Rehabilitation 388 $447 2,883,727 208,015
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 37 $72 522,756 34,858
Other structural work 320 $418 3,310,748 199,749
Total 1,225 $1,593 11,440,034 704,471

About the data:

Data and cost estimates are from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on August 20, 2024. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

Effective January 1, 2018, FHWA changed the definition of structurally deficient as part of the final rule on highway and bridge performance measures, published May 20, 2017 pursuant to the 2012 federal aid highway bill Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Two measures that were previously used to classify bridges as structurally deficient are no longer used. This includes bridges where the overall structural evaluation was rated in poor or worse condition, or where the adequacy of waterway openings was insufficient.

The new definition limits the classification to bridges where one of the key structural elements—the deck, superstructure, substructure or culverts, are rated in poor or worse condition. During inspection, the conditions of a variety of bridge elements are rated on a scale of 0 (failed condition) to 9 (excellent condition). A rating of 4 is considered “poor” condition.

Cost estimates have been derived by ARTBA, based on 2023 average bridge replacement costs for structures on and off the National Highway System, published by FHWA. Bridge rehabilitation costs are estimated to be 68 percent of replacement costs. A bridge is considered to need repair if the structure has identified repairs as part of the NBI, a repair cost estimate is supplied by the bridge owner or the bridge is classified as structurally deficient. Please note that for a few states, the number of bridges needing to be repaired can vary significantly from year to year, and reflects the data entered by the state.

Bridges are classified by FHWA into types based on the functional classification of the roadway on the bridge. Interstates comprise routes officially designated by the Secretary of Transportation. Other principal arterials serve major centers of urban areas or provide mobility through rural areas. Freeways and expressways have directional lanes generally separated by a physical barrier, and access/egress points generally limited to on- and off-ramps. Minor arterials serve smaller areas and are used for trips of moderate length. Collectors funnel traffic from local roads to the arterial network; major collectors have higher speed limits and traffic volumes and are longer in length and spaced at greater intervals, while minor collectors are shorter and provide service to smaller communities. Local roads do not carry through traffic and are intended for short distance travel.

37
Compared to 34 in 2024

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 19.0%
36. Ohio 5.0%
37. Colorado 5.0%
38. Minnesota 5.0%

31
Compared to 30 in 2024

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,424
30. Oregon 422
31. Colorado 417
32. Maine 392

35
Compared to 35 in 2024

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. West Virginia 13.0%
34. Idaho 4.0%
35. Colorado 4.0%
36. Oklahoma 4.0%
Full State Ranking

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  • Source: Data is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on August 20, 2024. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

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