Vehicles
Colorado has about 4.9 million registered vehicles, reflecting car-dependent commuting outside the Denver metro core.
Households without a vehicle
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, B08201 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicles (millions) | 4.9 | 283 |
Public Transit
Denver's RTD system operates light rail and bus rapid transit lines, though public transit ridership remains modest relative to car commuting statewide.
Workers commuting by public transit
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, share of workers 16+, B08301 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Transit commute share (%) | 3.5 | 3.1 |
Airports
Denver International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world by passenger traffic, serving as a major United Airlines hub.
Passengers boarded at all commercial airports in Colorado
2011–2025FAA Air Carrier Activity Information System, calendar-year commercial-service enplanements.
Passengers boarded at Denver International (DEN)
2011–2025FAA calendar-year enplanements.
Passengers boarded at DEN
2003–2023Bureau of Transportation Statistics / FAA enplanements.
| Indicator | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Annual passengers (millions) | 82 | 853 |
- •Denver International Airport is the largest airport in the U.S. by land area.
Traffic
Denver ranks among the more congested metro areas in the country, with I-25 and I-70 mountain corridor traffic causing frequent delays, especially on ski weekends.
Traffic fatalities
1994–2024NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), State Traffic Data.
Fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles
1994–2024NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), State Traffic Data.
| Indicator | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Hours lost to congestion/yr | 52 | 51 |
- •I-70 through the mountains sees notorious ski-weekend traffic jams, prompting a dedicated toll express lane.
Commuting Patterns
Most Coloradans commute by car, with an average commute time of about 25 minutes, while Denver has growing light rail and bus rapid transit ridership.
Mean travel time to work
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, aggregate travel time ÷ workers not working at home, B08013/B08012 (2020 not released).
Workers who drive alone
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, share of workers 16+, B08301 (2020 not released).
Workers who work from home
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, share of workers 16+, B08301 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Avg. commute time (minutes) | 25 | 26.4 |
Infrastructure
Colorado maintains about 91,000 miles of public roads and highways, including the high-elevation I-70 mountain corridor connecting Denver to ski resorts.
Bridges in poor condition
2000–2025FHWA National Bridge Inventory, Bridge Condition by Highway System (as of June each year).
Bridges in good condition
2000–2025FHWA National Bridge Inventory, Bridge Condition by Highway System (as of June each year).
Total highway bridges
2000–2025FHWA National Bridge Inventory, Bridge Condition by Highway System (as of June each year).
Vehicle miles traveled
1994–2024FHWA vehicle miles traveled as published with NHTSA FARS (fatalities ÷ fatality rate per 100M VMT).
| Indicator | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Road miles (thousands) | 91 | 4200 |