OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL
Carrying OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL over STILLWATER RIVER 082
6M NW OLNEY, Flathead, Montana
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL
The OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL bridge in Flathead, Montana carries OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL over STILLWATER RIVER 082. It was built in 1988, making it 38 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 2011, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of wood or timber and spans 8 sections, stretching 44.6 meters (146 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 138 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 a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. None of this bridge's reported major components fall into the Poor condition range. Its NBI inventory load rating is 11.8 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL 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 How the historical reference is calculated.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
- 1988
- Last Reconstructed
- 2011
- Material
- Wood or Timber
- Number of Spans
- 8
- Structure Length
- 44.6 m (146 ft)
- Deck Width
- 6.2 m (20 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 138 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- L15887000+05001
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 7/9, the deck (driving surface) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • At 6/9, the substructure (piers and abutments) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL is safe to cross today. Here is how to use it.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Learn how the 0–9 condition scale and Good/Fair/Poor categories are defined. How condition ratings work
- Compare OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL against other structures in Flathead 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 OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL?
OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL in Flathead, Montana has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL inspected?
OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL'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 138 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL is currently shown as Fair condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL?
OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL has an NBI inventory load rating of 11.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL?
OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL and does age affect safety?
OLD FORTSTEELTRAIL was built in 1988, making it 38 years old and last reconstructed in 2011.
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.