State profile · Near median Poor share

Montana bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in Montana.

5,224
Public bridges
31.5%
Good condition
6.8%
Poor condition

Montana holds 5,224 public highway bridges (#36 of 52 by inventory) with a 6.81% Poor share (#20 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 6.8% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 33 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

5,224

Public highway bridges in Montana

Good Condition

31.5%

1,646 bridges rated 7-9

-18.5pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

6.8%

356 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-0.7pp vs national avg 7.5%

Montana vs national bridge condition

Montana - Good condition share 31.5%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Montana - Poor-condition share 22.7%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Montana in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Montana has 5,224 bridges and a 6.8% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #33 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Montana has 5,224 bridges and a 6.8% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #33 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

Montana vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

5,224 36th of 54 higher than 18 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. 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 · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for Montana

The highlighted point is Montana: 5,224 bridges and 6.81% in Poor condition, rank #33 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Montana on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Hawaii: 1,195 bridges · 6.53% Poor
  • North Carolina: 19,210 bridges · 6.76% Poor
  • Montana: 5,224 bridges · 6.81% Poor
  • Kentucky: 14,548 bridges · 7.37% Poor
  • New Hampshire: 2,542 bridges · 7.51% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Montana

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 5,224 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Montana’s inventory

State agency holds 46.3% of the 5,224 public highway bridges filed under Montana in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Montana’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 11.7% of the 5,224 bridges with a recorded original year in Montana. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Montana31.5%61.7%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Montana (FHWA NBI)

Counties (56)

Beaverhead 226 Big Horn 135 Blaine 102 Broadwater 37 Carbon 80 Carter 41 Cascade 185 Chouteau 42 Custer 71 Daniels 33 Dawson 109 Deer Lodge 68 Fallon 37 Fergus 158 Flathead 204 Gallatin 210 Garfield 26 Glacier 71 Golden Valley 17 Granite 73 Hill 46 Jefferson 134 Judith Basin 48 Lake 117 Lewis and Clark 200 Liberty 11 Lincoln 190 Madison 97 McCone 44 Meagher 53 Mineral 152 Missoula 206 Musselshell 28 Park 124 Petroleum 26 Phillips 101 Pondera 96 Powder River 23 Powell 113 Prairie 46 Ravalli 148 Richland 97 Roosevelt 57 Rosebud 114 Sanders 120 Sheridan 66 Silver Bow 68 Stillwater 92 Sweet Grass 94 Teton 82 Toole 35 Treasure 26 Valley 104 Wheatland 26 Wibaux 25 Yellowstone 290

Montana vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Montana on the same metric.

HI

Hawaii

6.53% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$1,195

NC

North Carolina

6.76% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$19,210
Selected

MT

Montana

6.81% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,224

KY

Kentucky

7.37% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$14,548

NH

New Hampshire

7.51% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$2,542

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Montana

Six lowest-condition bridges in Montana, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

UPPER HIGHWOOD CR

Poor

Over: HIGHWOOD CREEK 076

4M SE HIGHWOOD, Chouteau, MT

Built 1969 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 100

ROAD 290 N

Poor

Over: CANADIAN COULEE 036

30M N INVERNESS, Hill, MT

Built 1980 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 100

BLACK COULEE RD

Poor

Over: BLACK COULEE 072

28M N DODSON, Phillips, MT

Built 1950 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 49

SLEEPY HOLLOW LN

Poor

Over: PRICKLY PEAR CREEK

3 M S MONTANA CITY, Jefferson, MT

Built 2010 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 100

HWY 91 N

Poor

Over: BIG HOLE RIVER 041

22M N DILLON, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1940 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 155

CARBINE RD

Poor

Over: PABLO CANAL 026

4M W PABLO, Lake, MT

Built 1986 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 100

All Bridges in Montana

NFSR #487

Poor

Over: S FK JUDITH RIVER

19 MI. SW OF UTICA, Judith Basin, MT

Built 1958 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 65

NFSR 487

Poor

Over: S FK JUDITH RIVER

18.6 MI. SW FROM UTICA, Cascade, MT

Built 1958 Load: 20.1 t ADT: 65

NO DATA ENTERED

Poor

Over: W FK MADISON RIVER

W FK MADISON RIVER, Madison, MT

Built 1947 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 50

MCCLELLEAN CK ROAD

Poor

Over: MCCLELLAN CREEK

MCCLELLAN, Jefferson, MT

Built 1959 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 40

CPGD ACCESS

Poor

Over: TEN MILE CREEK

MOOSE CR CAMP GD., Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1957 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 20

STEVES FORK RD

Poor

Over: STEVES FORK CREEK 003

15M NW JORDAN, Garfield, MT

Built 1980 Load: 20.4 t ADT: 100

S MAIN AVE

Poor

Over: MISSION CREEK 052

ST IGNATIUS-S MAIN ST, Lake, MT

Built 1929 Load: 20.5 t ADT: 2,220

TEMPLED HILLS RD.

Poor

Over: MILL CREEK

S. OF LIVINGSTON, Park, MT

Built 1952 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 50

BOINTER RD

Poor

Over: SWEET GRASS CREEK 044

9M SE BIG TIMBER, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1970 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 100

ROAD 317

Poor

Over: DRAG CREEK

SECT 11 T18N R29E, Petroleum, MT

Built 1963 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 2

OLD HWY 87

Poor

Over: TWO LEGGINS CANAL 0

1M W HARDIN, Big Horn, MT

Built 1931 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 561

FRONTAGE ROAD 205

Poor

Over: SNELL CREEK 073

17M SW MILES CITY, Custer, MT

Built 1928 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 100

STAGE RD

Poor

Over: SPRING COULEE 024

20M S DODSON, Phillips, MT

Built 1965 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 100

MILWAUKEE RD

Poor

Over: YELLOWSTONE RIVER 030

4M SW TERRY, Prairie, MT

Built 1907 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 54

S 21

Poor

Over: INT MIDWAY I 15

3M SE CONRAD, Pondera, MT

Built 1972 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 537

S 200

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE

14M W BROCKWAY, McCone, MT

Built 1939 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 1,012

FDR 606

Poor

Over: BIRCH CR

BIRCH CR, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1954 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 40

NO DATA ENTERED

Poor

Over: N F LOSTHORSE CR

NO DATA ENTERED, Ravalli, MT

Built 1953 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 40

US 191

Poor

Over: FISH CREEK

14M S HARLOWTON, Wheatland, MT

Built 1942 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 657

NO DATA ENTERED

Poor

Over: WILLOW CR

WILLOW CR, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1954 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 20

NO DATA ENTERED

Poor

Over: ROCK CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Carbon, MT

Built 1954 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 50

BIG CREEK ROAD

Poor

Over: BIG CREEK

S. OF LIVINGSTON, Park, MT

Built 1961 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 50

RED ROCK RD

Poor

Over: LIMEKILN CANYON 022

7M NW DELL, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1931 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 119

EAGLE PASS TRAIL

Poor

Over: PABLO FEEDER CANAL 104

9M NE ST IGNATIUS, Lake, MT

Built 1977 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 100

DALTON MNT RD

Poor

Over: BLACKFOOT RIVER 095

3M W LINCOLN, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1956 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 111

OLD HWY 10 E

Poor

Over: ST REGIS RIVER 059

ST REGIS, Mineral, MT

Built 1937 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 119

COUNTY ROAD 001

Poor

Over: HARDSCRABBLE CREEK 041

35M NW SIDNEY, Richland, MT

Built 1945 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 100

FRONTAGE ROAD 018

Poor

Over: IRRIGATION DITCH 001

1M E HYSHAM, Treasure, MT

Built 1933 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 279

US 2

Poor

Over: BIG CHERRY CREEK

3M SW LIBBY, Lincoln, MT

Built 1976 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 5,592

IRR - US 191

Poor

Over: WILD HORSE CREEK

20M SW MALTA, Phillips, MT

Built 1941 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 375

S 223

Poor

Over: MARIAS RIVER

18M SE CHESTER, Liberty, MT

Built 1966 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 268

MONTANA AVE

Poor

Over: U1025-RR

BILLINGS-MONTANA AVE, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1960 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 8,399

MONTANA AVE

Poor

Over: U1024-25-RR

BILLINGS-MONTANA AVE, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1960 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 8,399

WHALE CREEK ROAD

Poor

Over: WHALE CREEK

1 MI SW NINKO CABIN, Flathead, MT

Built 1954 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 10

FDR 624

Poor

Over: RUBY CR

RUBY CR, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1952 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 20

FOREST ROAD

Poor

Over: GRAVES CREEK

GRAVES CREEK AREA, Flathead, MT

Built 1970 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 10

STIBAL LN

Poor

Over: RED ROCK RIVER 053

9M NE MONIDA, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1975 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

S FRONTAGE RD W

Poor

Over: CLARK FORK 053

2M W ALBERTON, Mineral, MT

Built 1916 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 171

OLD HWY 2

Poor

Over: BEAVER CREEK 115

5M W HINSDALE, Valley, MT

Built 1931 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

MT 55

Poor

Over: FISH CREEK

9M SW WHITEHALL, Jefferson, MT

Built 1953 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,799

MT HWY 91

Poor

Over: RR

3M SW DILLON, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1936 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 582

LINCOLN RD

Poor

Over: INT LINCOLN-I 15

10M N HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1962 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 7,447

IRR - S 358

Poor

Over: TWO MEDICINE RIVER

12M S CUT BANK, Pondera, MT

Built 1968 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 242

S 474

Poor

Over: RR

4M SE FRENCHTOWN, Missoula, MT

Built 1959 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,371

FDR 209

Poor

Over: W FK MADISON RIVER

W FK MADISON RIVER, Madison, MT

Built 1957 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 35

OBERG RD

Poor

Over: VANDALIA SOUTH CANAL 078

5M W GLASGOW, Valley, MT

Built 1989 Load: 23.2 t ADT: 100

RD 231

Poor

Over: LAKE CR

1 MI E LAKE CR CAMPGROUND, Lincoln, MT

Built 1961 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 50

WAHLQUIST BR ROAD

Poor

Over: ROCK CREEK

AMBROSE ROCK CR, Missoula, MT

Built 1961 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 50

E ELK PARK RD

Poor

Over: BISON CREEK 016

1M S ELK PARK, Jefferson, MT

Built 1927 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 100

FRONTAGE ROAD 303

Poor

Over: GRAVEYARD CREEK 055

1M E HATHAWAY, Rosebud, MT

Built 1928 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 127

Showing 5,001-5,050 of 5,224 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What to do with this

Use Montana's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Montana and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Montana Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; 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.