LOWER RIVER RD
Carrying LOWER RIVER RD over SAND COULEE CREEK
3M S GREAT FALLS, Cascade, Montana
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
LOWER RIVER RD in Cascade, Montana sits above 43% of rated Montana bridges on inventory load rating (28 t), while its 1937 build year is earlier than 91% of Cascade's recorded-year cohort (185 bridges).
LOWER RIVER RD in Cascade, Montana is rated Fair in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1937, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 6. 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:S00226001+05191
PRE-1950 · TIMBER · MULTI-SPAN · SUB-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-FAIR
- PRE-1950 Pre-1950
- TIMBER Wood or timber
- MULTI-SPAN 3 spans
- SUB-LED Substructure-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard 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: LOWER RIVER RD
The LOWER RIVER RD bridge in Cascade, Montana carries LOWER RIVER RD over SAND COULEE CREEK. It was built in 1937, making it 89 years old today. The structure is built primarily of wood or timber and spans 3 sections, stretching 17.7 meters (58 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 1,587 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked 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 7/9, substructure at 6/9. The weakest component sits in fair condition. All reported major components score above the Poor range.
How LOWER RIVER RD compares
Age against the county: built in 1937, earlier than 168 of Cascade's 185 bridges with a recorded construction year (91%), against a county median build year of 1966. 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).
LOWER RIVER RD vs every rated Montana bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
28 Top 57% higher than 43% 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
- 1937
- Material
- Wood or Timber
- Number of Spans
- 3
- Structure Length
- 17.7 m (58 ft)
- Deck Width
- 7.3 m (24 ft)
- Owner
- County Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 1,587 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- S00226001+05191
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) is in good condition (7/9), showing no significant deterioration.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) rates fair at 6/9, minor deterioration that routine maintenance should address.
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 LOWER RIVER RD 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 LOWER RIVER RD 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 LOWER RIVER RD?
LOWER RIVER RD in Cascade, Montana has a deck rating of 7/9, superstructure rating of 7/9, and substructure rating of 6/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is LOWER RIVER RD inspected?
LOWER RIVER RD'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 1,587 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. LOWER RIVER RD 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 LOWER RIVER RD?
LOWER RIVER RD has an NBI inventory load rating of 28.1 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining LOWER RIVER RD?
LOWER RIVER RD is owned and maintained by County Highway Agency.
How old is LOWER RIVER RD and does age affect safety?
LOWER RIVER RD was built in 1937, making it 89 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.