US 287
Carrying US 287 over INT AUGUSTA I 15
1M NE WOLF CREEK, Lewis and Clark, Montana
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
US 287 in Lewis and Clark, Montana sits above 10% of rated Montana bridges on inventory load rating (18 t), while its 1966 build year is earlier than 62% of Lewis and Clark's recorded-year cohort (200 bridges).
US 287 in Lewis and Clark, Montana is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1966, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 5. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Fair 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:P00009000+00001
INTERSTATE-ERA · STEEL · MULTI-SPAN · DECK-LED · LOCAL-ADT · LIGHT-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- STEEL Steel
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- DECK-LED Deck-led
- LOCAL-ADT Local ADT
- LIGHT-LOAD Light load
- CAT-FAIR Fair
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: US 287
The US 287 bridge in Lewis and Clark, Montana carries US 287 over INT AUGUSTA I 15. It was built in 1966, making it 60 years old today. The structure is built primarily of steel continuous and spans 3 sections, stretching 59.5 meters (195 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 561 vehicles, placing it in the lower-traffic tier of Montana bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 7/9, substructure at 7/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How US 287 compares
Age against the county: built in 1966, earlier than 124 of Lewis and Clark's 200 bridges with a recorded construction year (62%), against a county median build year of 1978. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Montana bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (5,144 of 5,224 rated).
US 287 vs every rated Montana bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
18 Top 90% higher than 10% 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.
Lewis and Clark inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 200 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
- 1966
- Material
- Steel Continuous
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 59.5 m (195 ft)
- Deck Width
- 9.4 m (31 ft)
- Owner
- State Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 561 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- P00009000+00001
Condition Analysis
- • The deck (driving surface) rates fair at 5/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) rates good at 7/9, with no significant deterioration on file.
- • 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 US 287 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 US 287 against other structures in Lewis and Clark 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 US 287?
US 287 in Lewis and Clark, Montana has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 7/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is US 287 inspected?
US 287'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 561 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. US 287 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 US 287?
US 287 has an NBI inventory load rating of 18.1 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining US 287?
US 287 is owned and maintained by State Highway Agency.
How old is US 287 and does age affect safety?
US 287 was built in 1966, making it 60 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.