I 315S
Carrying I 315S over FAU 5225-14TH ST SW
GREAT FALLS, Cascade, Montana
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
I 315S in Cascade, Montana sits above 89% of rated Montana bridges on inventory load rating (41 t), while its 1967 build year is earlier than 42% of Cascade's recorded-year cohort (185 bridges).
I 315S in Cascade, Montana is rated Good in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1967, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 7. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Good 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:I00315000+03422
INTERSTATE-ERA · PRESTRESS · MULTI-SPAN · TIED-CTRL · ARTERIAL-ADT · HEAVY-LOAD · CAT-GOOD
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- PRESTRESS Prestressed concrete
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- TIED-CTRL Tied control
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- HEAVY-LOAD Heavy load
- CAT-GOOD Good
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: I 315S
The I 315S bridge in Cascade, Montana carries I 315S over FAU 5225-14TH ST SW. It was built in 1967, making it 59 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1995, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 3 sections, stretching 45.6 meters (150 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 6,196 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Montana bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure at 8/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in good condition. No reported major component scores in the Poor range under the current federal condition thresholds.
How I 315S compares
Age against the county: built in 1967, earlier than 77 of Cascade's 185 bridges with a recorded construction year (42%), against a county median build year of 1966. 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).
I 315S vs every rated Montana bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
41 Top 11% higher than 89% 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.
Cascade inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 185 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
- 1967
- Last Reconstructed
- 1995
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 45.6 m (150 ft)
- Deck Width
- 14.4 m (47 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 6,196 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- I00315000+03422
Condition Analysis
- • At 7/9, the deck (driving surface) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • At 8/9, the superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in good shape and shows no significant wear.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
This page shows what the last federal inspection recorded, not whether I 315S 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 I 315S against other structures in Cascade 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 I 315S?
I 315S in Cascade, Montana has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 8/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is I 315S inspected?
I 315S'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 6,196 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. I 315S is currently shown as Good condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for I 315S?
I 315S has an NBI inventory load rating of 40.8 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining I 315S?
I 315S is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is I 315S and does age affect safety?
I 315S was built in 1967, making it 59 years old and last reconstructed in 1995.
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.