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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOUDEN DITCH | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 8,300 |
| BARNES INLET CANAL | Colorado | Poor | 1933 | 93 | 12,500 |
| LA JARA CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 35 |
| MIDDLE BOULDER CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 5,800 |
| ELK CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1933 | 93 | 2,200 |
| GYPSUM CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 9,390 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Good | 1933 | 93 | 9,390 |
| SAND CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 21 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 3,000 |
| DEER CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 9,800 |
| KING CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 9,800 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 3,300 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 3,300 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Good | 1933 | 93 | 3,300 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 3,800 |
| QUARTZ CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 3,000 |
| RED CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 1,000 |
| CUCHARAS RIVER | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 2,000 |
| BEAR CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1933 | 93 | 1,900 |
| BESSEMER DITCH | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 2,732 |
| BESSEMER DITCH | Colorado | Fair | 1933 | 93 | 403 |
| FRENCHMAN CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1934 | 92 | 1,500 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Poor | 1934 | 92 | 1,500 |
| DRY CREEK | Colorado | Poor | 1934 | 92 | 35 |
| LOVELAND-GREELEY CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 43,000 |
| MILL CREEK SR | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 1,081 |
| BLACK SQUIRREL CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 1,273 |
| ALKALI CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 6,491 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 4,000 |
| PARACHUTE CREEK SR | Colorado | Poor | 1934 | 92 | 3,100 |
| KYLE RR | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 1,600 |
| DRAW SR | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 86 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Poor | 1934 | 92 | 5,200 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 3,000 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 3,000 |
| SPRING CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 5,600 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 3,600 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 3,600 |
| CHERRY CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 3,600 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 3,600 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 3,600 |
| DRAW | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 3,600 |
| HOWARD CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 3,600 |
| STOUT CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 3,600 |
| TURKEY CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 4,900 |
| MEREDITH CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 1,600 |
| ROCKY FORD CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 2,300 |
| Cache La Poudre River | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 240 |
| CANAL | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 6,700 |
| TOBE CREEK | Colorado | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 130 |
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.