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
ELK CREEK Colorado Fair 1950 76 7,500
HIGHLINE CANAL Colorado Fair 1950 76 213,000
Larimer Co. Canal No. 2 Colorado Fair 1950 76 2,970
Larimer Co. Canal No. 2 Colorado Good 1950 76 818
Lake Canal Colorado Poor 1950 76 6,025
NEWLIN CREEK Colorado Fair 1950 76 35
Sullivan Ditch Colorado Fair 1950 76 2,211
Crystal River Colorado Fair 1950 76 2,569
Main Elk Creek Colorado Fair 1950 76 653
GUNNISON R. DIVER. CANAL Colorado Poor 1950 76 74
EAST RIVER DIVER. CANAL Colorado Poor 1950 76 16
BUFFALO CANYON CREEK Colorado Good 1950 76 10,000
COLUMBUS CANYON Colorado Fair 1950 76 8,400
REDLANDS POWER CANAL Colorado Fair 1950 76 6,500
COLORADO RIVER Colorado Fair 1950 76 9,500
GUNNISON RIVER Colorado Fair 1950 76 7,400
COCHETOPA CREEK Colorado Fair 1950 76 470
BESSEMER DITCH Colorado Good 1950 76 5,500
BLUE RIBBON ARROYO Colorado Fair 1950 76 4,000
TRIB. SAN FRANCISCO CRK Colorado Poor 1950 76 22
PURGATOIRE RIVER Colorado Poor 1950 76 5
TRINCHERA CREEK Colorado Poor 1950 76 6
TRIBUTARY SALADO CREEK Colorado Fair 1950 76 80
DURAN ARROYO Colorado Poor 1950 76 56
LEITENSDORFER ARROYO Colorado Poor 1950 76 70
MODEL DITCH Colorado Fair 1950 76 39
STEELS FORK CREEK Colorado Poor 1950 76 6
EAST FORK ADOBE CREEK Colorado Fair 1950 76 10
BEAR CREEK TRIBUTARY Colorado Fair 1950 76 282
Pawnee Ditch Colorado Fair 1950 76 777
Pawnee Creek Colorado Fair 1950 76 41
Sterling No 1 Ditch Colorado Fair 1950 76 505
Larimer & Weld Canal Colorado Fair 1950 76 3,037
North Poudre Canal Colorado Fair 1950 76 5,642
OTERO CANAL Colorado Fair 1950 76 220
ADOBE CREEK Colorado Fair 1950 76 567
PRICE DITCH Colorado Good 1950 76 650
PLATEAU CREEK Colorado Fair 1950 76 81
Beaver Creek Colorado Fair 1950 76 25
Beaver Creek Lower Plat Colorado Fair 1950 76 37
EAGLE RIVER Colorado Fair 1950 76 748
Fortification Creek Colorado Fair 1950 76 184
Fortification Creek Colorado Fair 1950 76 71
Big Hole Gulch Colorado Poor 1950 76 167
Cedar Mountain Gulch Colorado Fair 1950 76 773
MONTE VISTA CANAL Colorado Fair 1950 76 420
CATLIN CANAL Colorado Poor 1950 76 73
ROCKY FORD HIGHLINE CANA Colorado Poor 1950 76
AMITY CANAL Colorado Fair 1950 76 9
AMITY CANAL Colorado Fair 1950 76 2

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.