Historic Bridges in Colorado

857 bridges built before 1951 in Colorado still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 857 bridges in Colorado built before 1951 that remain in active service. These structures are 75+ years old — many predate modern engineering codes and were not designed for today's traffic volumes and vehicle weights. The average design life of a bridge is 50 years, making these aging structures a significant infrastructure concern.

Clear
Bridge State Condition Year Built Age (Years) ADT
SOLDIER CREEK Colorado Fair 1938 88 48
SHOOKS RUN Colorado Poor 1938 88 932
CHIMNEY ROCK CREEK Colorado Fair 1938 88 1,000
CHIMNEY ROCK CREEK Colorado Poor 1938 88 860
STILLWATER CREEK Colorado Poor 1938 88 4,900
BOULDER CREEK Colorado Poor 1938 88 15,000
SOUTH BOULDER CREEK Colorado Fair 1938 88 25,000
VASQUEZ CREEK Colorado Fair 1938 88 11,000
BIG SANDY CREEK TRIB. Colorado Fair 1938 88 53
CLEAR CREEK SR Colorado Fair 1938 88 18,815
BEAR CREEK Colorado Poor 1938 88 291
W. PLUM BUSH CRK Colorado Fair 1938 88 560
PLUMBUSH CREEK Colorado Fair 1938 88 700
E FORK OF W PLUM BUSH CR Colorado Fair 1938 88 560
DRAW Colorado Fair 1938 88 700
VEGA CREEK Colorado Poor 1938 88 700
DRAW Colorado Fair 1938 88 570
DRAW Colorado Fair 1938 88 570
EIGHT MILE CREEK Colorado Fair 1938 88 45
DRAW Colorado Poor 1938 88 2,600
BIG SANDY CREEK Colorado Fair 1938 88 6,700
DRAW Colorado Fair 1938 88 6,700
DRAW Colorado Fair 1938 88 6,700
DRAW Colorado Fair 1938 88 6,700
DRAW Colorado Fair 1938 88 6,700
SOUTH ARKANSAS RIVER Colorado Fair 1938 88 3,600
COLD DRAW Colorado Fair 1938 88 2,800
SPAULDING CREEK Colorado Fair 1938 88 5,200
SALT CREEK Colorado Fair 1938 88 8,900
PONCHA CREEK Colorado Fair 1938 88 2,800
COW CREEK AR Colorado Poor 1938 88 6
CUTLER CREEK Colorado Fair 1938 88 4,800
BRANCH OF RITCHIE GULCH Colorado Fair 1938 88 1,000
FARMERS OXFORD DITCH Colorado Poor 1938 88 4,200
FARMERS UNION CANAL Colorado Fair 1938 88 2,300
BEATY CREEK Colorado Poor 1938 88 110
BUFFALO CREEK Colorado Poor 1938 88 80
LA JARA CREEK Colorado Fair 1938 88 1,300
NAVAJO RIVER Colorado Fair 1938 88 1,100
LITTLE NAVAJO RIVER Colorado Fair 1938 88 1,100
COYOTE CREEK Colorado Poor 1938 88 1,100
RIO SAN ANTONIO Colorado Fair 1938 88 1,200
MIDDLE FK PURGATOIRE RVR Colorado Fair 1938 88 320
MIDDLE FK PURGATOIRE RVR Colorado Fair 1938 88 320
RR SPUR Colorado Poor 1938 88 1,700
DRY CREEK Colorado Good 1939 87 102
UNNAMED CREEK Colorado Fair 1939 87 25
Fortification Creek Colorado Fair 1939 87 127
PLATTE AVENUE Colorado Fair 1939 87 16,596
PLATTE AVENUE Colorado Poor 1939 87 7,042

About Historic Bridge Data

Bridges built before 1951 are classified as historic in this database. Many were designed to 1940s standards with lower load limits and narrower lanes. While FHWA requires regular inspections of all bridges regardless of age, older structures often require more frequent monitoring and rehabilitation investment.