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.
| Bridge | State | Condition | Year Built | Age (Years) | ADT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COAL CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 5,100 |
| COTTONWOOD CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 9,400 |
| SMITH HILL CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 9,400 |
| N FK CLEAR CREEK AR | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 1 |
| LEE GULCH | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 44,000 |
| BIG DRY CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 62,000 |
| DRAW SR | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 141 |
| DRAW SR | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 141 |
| DRAW SR | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 141 |
| ARKANSAS RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 1,600 |
| CALIFORNIA GULCH | Colorado | Poor | 1939 | 87 | 1,600 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 3,700 |
| LONG GULCH CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1939 | 87 | 2,300 |
| LOST CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 2,600 |
| BRUSH CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 2,400 |
| ARROYO | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 1,600 |
| ARROYO | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 1,600 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 1,700 |
| GOODENOUGH GULCH | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 1,900 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 1,600 |
| WEST CARRIZO CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1939 | 87 | 17 |
| RULE CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 40 |
| Fortification Creek | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 1,991 |
| Williams Fork River | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 28 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Poor | 1939 | 87 | 420 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 180 |
| BESSEMER DITCH | Colorado | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 679 |
| N. FORK SO. PLATTE RIV | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 10 |
| ALLISON DITCH | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 138 |
| EAST MANCOS RIVER | Colorado | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 439 |
| MONTROSE AND DELTA CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 866 |
| MONTROSE AND DELTA CANAL | Colorado | Good | 1940 | 86 | 466 |
| RIO BLANCO RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 36 |
| BEAR CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 53 |
| NORTH FORK SAND ARROYO | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 13 |
| HORSE CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 4 |
| UNNAMED CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 25 |
| BRANTNER DITCH | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 10,583 |
| FT. LYON CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 92 |
| FORT MORGAN CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 3,200 |
| UPPR PLATTE BEAVER CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 4,300 |
| UTE CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 79 |
| BIG SANDY DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 44 |
| OBRIAN CANAL | Colorado | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 190 |
| MONUMENT CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 1,418 |
| PASS CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 13 |
| SAND CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 40,000 |
| Union Ditch | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 369 |
| RED SANDSTONE CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 16,349 |
| EAGLE RIVER | Colorado | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 2,000 |
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.