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
POPE ARROYO Colorado Fair 1948 78 7,000
TIMPAS CREEK Colorado Fair 1948 78 220
DRAW Colorado Good 1948 78 3,000
Little Red Wash Colorado Fair 1948 78
FARMERS UNION CANAL Colorado Good 1948 78 1,700
RIO BLANCO Colorado Fair 1948 78 1,300
POWELL ARROYO Colorado Fair 1948 78 6,000
RIO GRANDE CANAL Colorado Fair 1948 78 165
FARMERS UNION CANAL Colorado Fair 1948 78 84
CEMENT CREEK Colorado Fair 1949 77 28
TAYLOR RIVER Colorado Fair 1949 77 482
FLORIDA RIVER Colorado Good 1949 77 84
NORTH FORK WHITE RIVER Colorado Good 1949 77 108
DRAW Colorado Poor 1949 77 580
GRIZZLY CREEK Colorado Fair 1949 77 1,300
LARIMER-WELD CANAL Colorado Fair 1949 77 24,000
SANDY CREEK Colorado Poor 1949 77 220
FRENCHMAN CREEK Colorado Fair 1949 77 1,900
COLORADO CREEK Colorado Fair 1949 77 1,300
CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER Colorado Fair 1949 77 3,450
BIG SANDY CREEK TRIB Colorado Fair 1949 77 205
TEMPLETON GAP FLOODWAY Colorado Fair 1949 77 18,345
CS and E RR VAN BUREN C Colorado Good 1949 77 8,919
CSE RR VAN BUREN C Colorado Good 1949 77 7,863
SPRING CREEK Colorado Fair 1949 77 670
FLETCHERS GULCH Colorado Fair 1949 77 670
HAMMOND DRAW Colorado Fair 1949 77 670
RR SPUR Colorado Fair 1949 77 242,000
FOX STREET Colorado Good 1949 77 242,000
DRAW Colorado Good 1949 77 7,500
COLORADO RIVER Colorado Poor 1949 77 2,900
JAY CREEK Colorado Fair 1949 77 4,500
ROOTCAP CREEK Colorado Fair 1949 77 3,400
FIVE POINT GULCH Colorado Fair 1949 77 2,500
TEXAS CREEK Colorado Fair 1949 77 420
LAKE CREEK Colorado Fair 1949 77 420
FOUR MILE CREEK Colorado Fair 1949 77 19,000
SIX MILE CREEK Colorado Poor 1949 77 7,000
EIGHT MILE CREEK Colorado Fair 1949 77 7,000
BRUSH HOLLOW CREEK Colorado Fair 1949 77 7,000
DRAW Colorado Fair 1949 77 11,000
DRAW Colorado Fair 1949 77 19,000
BEAVER CREEK Colorado Fair 1949 77 9,800
AMITY CANAL Colorado Fair 1949 77 3,019
ARKANSAS RIVER Colorado Fair 1949 77 510
GRAND VALLEY CANAL Colorado Fair 1949 77 19
CASCADE CREEK Colorado Fair 1949 77 1,900
SALT CREEK Colorado Good 1949 77 170
Granby Dam Spillway Colorado Fair 1950 76 400
WILLIAMS FORK Colorado Good 1950 76 50

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.