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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRY CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 22,000 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 63,000 |
| ROAD GULCH | Colorado | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 420 |
| ROGERS GULCH | Colorado | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 420 |
| OTERO CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 4,700 |
| TIMPAS CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 4,700 |
| FORT BENT CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 9,200 |
| WILLOW CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 3,300 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Good | 1947 | 79 | 1,400 |
| LA GARITA CREEK | Colorado | Good | 1947 | 79 | 1,400 |
| CROOKED ARROYO | Colorado | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 5,000 |
| RIO GRANDE CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 1,800 |
| RIO GRANDE OVERFLOW | Colorado | Good | 1947 | 79 | 1,800 |
| MCLEAN DITCH | Colorado | Good | 1947 | 79 | 1,800 |
| CUCHARAS RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 1,300 |
| DRY CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 580 |
| FRIJOLES CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 290 |
| CRYSTAL RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 713 |
| FRYINGPAN RV | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 10 |
| LARIMER COUNTY CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 37,000 |
| PED/BIKE TRAIL | Colorado | Good | 1948 | 78 | 37,000 |
| SPRING CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 33,000 |
| LAKE CANAL | Colorado | Good | 1948 | 78 | 32,000 |
| SIX MILE CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 220 |
| FALL RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,366 |
| BIJOU CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 640 |
| COYOTE CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 240 |
| ARKANSAS RIVER | Colorado | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 173 |
| WHITE RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 3,500 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 670 |
| EGERIA CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,000 |
| NORTH BOULDER CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 3,200 |
| LEFT HAND CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 24,000 |
| NORTH BEAVER CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 4,000 |
| TURKEY CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,204 |
| BURLINGTON CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 9,500 |
| BURLINGTON CANAL SR | Colorado | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 27,925 |
| BURLINGTON CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 9,500 |
| NORTH TURKEY CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 26,000 |
| MARCEY GULCH | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 32,000 |
| CHERRY CREEK | Colorado | Good | 1948 | 78 | 7,900 |
| KIOWA CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 4,900 |
| LAKE CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 2,200 |
| MIDDLE FK S.PLATTE RVR | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 2,300 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 470 |
| APISHAPA RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 683 |
| Dry Creek | Colorado | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 6,817 |
| GREENHORN CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 7,000 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Good | 1948 | 78 | 14,000 |
| GRANEROS CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 7,000 |
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.