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
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.