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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SO. PLATTE RIVER | Colorado | Poor | 1923 | 103 | 200 |
| SPRING CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1923 | 103 | 1,603 |
| BLUE RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1923 | 103 | 13 |
| BEAVER CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1923 | 103 | 35 |
| RANGER CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1923 | 103 | 42 |
| SAND CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1923 | 103 | 4,100 |
| SAND CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1923 | 103 | 66 |
| GRAVEYARD CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1923 | 103 | 2,200 |
| ST.CHARLES RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1923 | 103 | 1,251 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1924 | 102 | 29,000 |
| LOUDEN CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1924 | 102 | 34,000 |
| ARKANSAS RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1924 | 102 | 9,000 |
| ST. CHARLES RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1924 | 102 | 963 |
| RIO GRANDE CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1924 | 102 | 53 |
| MONTROSE AND DELTA CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 579 |
| JACKSON LAKE OUTLET | Colorado | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 410 |
| CHERRY CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 6,301 |
| BEAR CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 190 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 190 |
| WILLIAMS CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 18,000 |
| BOGGS CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 1,500 |
| L. Loveland Outlet Canal | Colorado | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 13,399 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1925 | 101 | 520 |
| UPRR BNSF AR | Colorado | Poor | 1925 | 101 | 6,216 |
| FLORIDA RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1926 | 100 | 84 |
| SOUTH PLATTE DITCH | Colorado | Good | 1926 | 100 | 1,000 |
| TEACHOUT CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1926 | 100 | 84,000 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1926 | 100 | 91,000 |
| GUNNISON RVR SR | Colorado | Fair | 1926 | 100 | 1,082 |
| GUNNISON RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1926 | 100 | 845 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1926 | 100 | 9,200 |
| DURAN ARROYO | Colorado | Fair | 1926 | 100 | 36 |
| REILLY CANYON CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1926 | 100 | 592 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1926 | 100 | 15,000 |
| BEAR CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1926 | 100 | 220 |
| SQUAW CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1927 | 99 | 10 |
| Middle St. Vrain Creek | Colorado | Fair | 1927 | 99 | 56 |
| North St. Vrain Creek | Colorado | Fair | 1927 | 99 | 122 |
| CRYSTAL CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1927 | 99 | 8,500 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1927 | 99 | 840 |
| Coal Creek | Colorado | Fair | 1927 | 99 | 10,350 |
| NORTH VETA CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1927 | 99 | 5,300 |
| BESSEMER DITCH | Colorado | Fair | 1927 | 99 | 2,493 |
| CHERRY CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1928 | 98 | 7,892 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1928 | 98 | 19,000 |
| BRUSH HOLLOW CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1928 | 98 | 683 |
| SPRING CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1928 | 98 | 350 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1928 | 98 | 35,000 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1928 | 98 | 35,000 |
| GONZALES CANYON CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1928 | 98 | 790 |
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.