Irr# Co.rd. J over Mcelmo Creek
Montezuma County, Colorado · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Irr# Co.rd. J over Mcelmo Creek in Montezuma County, Colorado, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1930 and reconstructed in 1984, making it 95 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 62 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2022).
- Its listed owner is the county highway agency.
- It is one of 41 of the 60 inventoried bridges in Montezuma County rated fair (68.3%); 5 (8.3%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, posting recommended but not legally implemented (NBI item 41).
- Its condition class and component ratings are unchanged from the 2024 inventory.
- Status change: its 2024 load posting has been removed.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated November 2024, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- It has fracture-critical members (NBI item 92A): steel tension members without a redundant load path, which get their own scheduled inspections.
- A fair rating means the lowest-rated major component scores 5 or 6 on FHWA's 0-9 scale: some deterioration or minor section loss, but the structure is sound. It is the middle class, not a warning.
View this bridge on a map → (37.33549, -108.73755)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Superstructure | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel through truss |
| Length | about 104 ft |
| Location | 8.1 Mi W of Cortez |
| NBI structure number | 083000J00.1012A |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, posting recommended but not legally implemented |
| Last inspection (item 90) | November 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 8: foundations stable, scour above the top of the footing |
| Fracture critical (item 92A) | Yes |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Colorado department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Montezuma County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irr# US 160 Ml over Mc Elmo Creek | 1958 | 9,400 | Fair |
| US 160 Ml over Mc Elmo Creek | 1969 | 6,700 | Fair |
| US 160 Ml over Mancos River | 1958 | 6,000 | Fair |
| SH 145 Ml over Dolores River | 1972 | 4,300 | Fair |
| Irr# US 491 Ml over Mancos River | 1959 | 4,000 | Fair |
| Irr# US 491 Ml over Indian Creek | 1959 | 4,000 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Montezuma County, CO bridge conditions · every bridge in Montezuma County · Colorado bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.