ROAD 317
Carrying ROAD 317 over DRAG CREEK
SECT 11 T18N R29E, Petroleum, Montana
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
ROAD 317 in Petroleum, Montana sits above 15% of rated Montana bridges on inventory load rating (21 t), while its 1963 build year is earlier than 42% of Petroleum's recorded-year cohort (26 bridges).
ROAD 317 in Petroleum, Montana is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1963, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 4. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Poor result describes the weakest reported component rather than the structure as a whole. No NBI category is a closure decision or a live crossing-safety verdict.
NBI record plate
Structure MT:000061520-00036
INTERSTATE-ERA · TIMBER · MULTI-SPAN · SUB-LED · TRACE-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- TIMBER Wood or timber
- MULTI-SPAN 2 spans
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- TRACE-ADT Trace ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-POOR Poor
Inspection-sheet codes from this record’s year, material family, spans, controlling component, ADT, inventory load, and NBI category, not a live closure verdict.
Bridge Snapshot: ROAD 317
The ROAD 317 bridge in Petroleum, Montana carries ROAD 317 over DRAG CREEK. It was built in 1963, making it 63 years old today. The structure is built primarily of wood or timber and spans 2 sections, stretching 7.3 meters (24 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 2 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Montana bridges. It is owned and maintained by Bureau of Fish and Wildlife.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure at 6/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order.
How ROAD 317 compares
Age against the county: built in 1963, earlier than 11 of Petroleum's 26 bridges with a recorded construction year (42%), against a county median build year of 1962. This is one of the newer structures in its county.
Live comparison across Montana bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (5,144 of 5,224 rated).
ROAD 317 vs every rated Montana bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
21 Top 85% higher than 15% of 5,144 bridges
rated Montana bridges, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more bridges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · August 2026
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Reported 0–9 component ratings from the FHWA NBI. The highlighted component is the lowest reported input to this record’s current condition category; it is not a closure or live crossing-safety decision.
Petroleum inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 26 bridges in this county. Orthogonal to this structure's component profile above: a county catalog share, not a live crossing-safety verdict.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1963
- Material
- Wood or Timber
- Number of Spans
- 2
- Structure Length
- 7.3 m (24 ft)
- Deck Width
- 3.7 m (12 ft)
- Owner
- Bureau of Fish and Wildlife
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 2 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 000061520-00036
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) is in fair condition (6/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • At 6/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates poor at 4/9, with advanced deterioration recorded on the latest inspection.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
ROAD 317 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 317 against other structures in Petroleum 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 317?
ROAD 317 in Petroleum, Montana has a deck rating of 6/9, superstructure rating of 6/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is ROAD 317 inspected?
ROAD 317'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 2 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. ROAD 317 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 317?
ROAD 317 has an NBI inventory load rating of 20.9 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining ROAD 317?
ROAD 317 is owned and maintained by Bureau of Fish and Wildlife.
How old is ROAD 317 and does age affect safety?
ROAD 317 was built in 1963, making it 63 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.
Share this inspection record
Send this source-bounded record or download its data card. An NBI condition category is not a closure or live crossing-safety verdict.
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component ratings, ADT, and condition category on this page are copied from the NBI record for this structure; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.