DENVER – The population of Colorado is growing at a breakneck speed, which is putting more strain on an aging infrastructure.
That boom is calling attention to Colorado’s bridge problem. A recent survey by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association put the number of structurally deficient bridges in Colorado at 497. That’s 6 percent of the state’s 8,682 bridges.
A bridge is considered structurally deficient when one or more of the key bridge elements, such as the deck, superstructure or substructure, is considered to be in "poor" or worse condition.
Additionally, the same analysis identified 855 functionally obsolete bridges in Colorado, which means the bridge does not meet design standards.
Colorado has been working to address some of the deficiencies pointed out in the 2017 Bridge Report. Over the last 10 years, the state has spent nearly $1 billion on the construction 586 new bridges and the reconstruction of 79 bridges.
However, the state will need to spend at least another $2 billion to bring more than 1,200 bridges up to code, according to the analysis.
Here are the top 10 most traveled structurally deficient bridges in Colorado:
1. I-70 over Havana Street (built 1964)
2. 6th Avenue over Wadsworth Boulevard (built 1972)
3. I-70 over Harlan Street (built 1967)
4. I-70 WB over Quebec Street (built 1964)
5. I-70 EB over Quebec Street (built 1964)
6. I-70 WB over Union Pacific rail lines (built 1964)
7. I-70 EB over Union Pacific rail lines (built 1960)
8. Northfield Quebec Street over Sand Creek (built 1962)
9. I-70 EB over Kipling Street (built 1967)
10. I-70 WB over Kipling Street (built 1967)
