US 287 Ml over Big Sandy Creek
Cheyenne County, Colorado · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- US 287 Ml over Big Sandy Creek in Cheyenne County, Colorado, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 6 (satisfactory condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1971, making it 54 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 3,800 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2020).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 35 of the 61 inventoried bridges in Cheyenne County rated fair (57.4%); 0 (0.0%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- It was rated good in the 2024 inventory and is now fair (deck 7 to 6, substructure 7 to 6).
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated August 2024, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- It is coded scour critical (NBI item 113 = 3): scour critical: foundations unstable for the assessed or calculated scour.
- 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 → (38.74036, -102.77651)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 7 | 7 | Good condition |
| Substructure | 7 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Prestressed concrete stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 637 ft |
| Location | 1.8 Mi SE of Kit Carson |
| NBI structure number | J-25-E |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | August 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 3: scour critical: foundations unstable for the assessed or calculated scour |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Colorado department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Cheyenne County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 40 Ml over Wild Horse Creek | 1987 | 4,500 | Fair |
| US 40 Ml over Draw | 1959 | 3,800 | Fair |
| US 40 Ml over Draw | 1959 | 3,800 | Fair |
| US 40 Ml over Draw | 1933 | 3,800 | Fair |
| US 40 Ml over Draw | 1982 | 3,800 | Good |
| US 40 Ml over Draw | 1982 | 3,800 | Fair |
All bridges nearby: Cheyenne County, CO bridge conditions · every bridge in Cheyenne County · Colorado bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.