ROAD 261
Carrying ROAD 261 over CRACKERBOX CREEK 043
16M SW GLENDIVE, Dawson, Montana
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: ROAD 261
The ROAD 261 bridge in Dawson, Montana carries ROAD 261 over CRACKERBOX CREEK 043. It was built in 1997, making it 29 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 3 sections, stretching 22.9 meters (75 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 21 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Montana bridges. It is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show culvert at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. At least one major component here scores 4 or below, which produces a Poor condition classification under FHWA's current reporting rules. Its NBI inventory load rating is 99.9 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How ROAD 261 compares
Live comparison across Montana.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1997
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 22.9 m (75 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 21 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- L11109016+04001
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
ROAD 261 is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare ROAD 261 against other structures in Dawson and across Montana. Montana bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for ROAD 261?
ROAD 261 in Dawson, Montana on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is ROAD 261 inspected?
ROAD 261's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 21 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. ROAD 261 is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for ROAD 261?
ROAD 261 has an NBI inventory load rating of 99.9 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining ROAD 261?
ROAD 261 is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is ROAD 261 and does age affect safety?
ROAD 261 was built in 1997, making it 29 years old.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.