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

NO DATA ENTERED

Poor

Over: SWAMP GUL

SWAMP GULCH, Granite, MT

Built 1987 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 50

FLYNN LN

Poor

Over: BROADWATER MISSOURI 006

5M N TOSTON, Broadwater, MT

Built 1976 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

JACK CREEK RD

Poor

Over: JACK CREEK 028

8M E ENNIS, Madison, MT

Built 1952 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 175

VICTOR CROSSING E

Poor

Over: BITTERROOT RIVER 017

2M E VICTOR, Ravalli, MT

Built 1984 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

OLD HWY 10 E

Poor

Over: SMITH CREEK 053

1M W FORSYTH, Rosebud, MT

Built 1928 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 599

IRR - US 2

Poor

Over: RR

10M SE WEST GLACIER, Flathead, MT

Built 1956 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,119

CHURCHILL RD

Poor

Over: CAMP CREEK

2M N AMSTERDAM, Gallatin, MT

Built 1949 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,877

MARSHALL CREEK RD

Poor

Over: ROCK CREEK

14M W PHILIPSBURG, Granite, MT

Built 1959 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 158

RD 2358

Poor

Over: WOLF CREEK

NEAR JCT W/RD 36 MP 10.3, Lincoln, MT

Built 1969 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 50

FDR 211

Poor

Over: FOUR MILE CREEK

7.8 MI SE US12/FDR211 JCT, Meagher, MT

Built 1973 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 50

TAYLOR FORK ROAD

Poor

Over: WAPITI CREEK

TAYLOR FORK, Gallatin, MT

Built 1954 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 50

I 90

Poor

Over: CLARK FORK RIVER

6.2M E ALBERTON, Missoula, MT

Built 1964 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 9,050

UPPER FORD RD

Poor

Over: E FORK YAAK RIVER 151

13M NE YAAK, Lincoln, MT

Built 1953 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

US 2

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE

ZURICH, Blaine, MT

Built 1940 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 2,067

S 7

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE

1M NE EKALAKA, Carter, MT

Built 1940 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 470

LODGE CREEK RD

Poor

Over: FORT BELKNAP CANAL

1M NE CHINOOK, Blaine, MT

Built 1952 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

IRR BIA RTE 191

Poor

Over: TWO MEDICINE CREEK

BELOW LWR 2 MEDICINE DAM, Glacier, MT

Built 1969 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 50

NO DATA ENTERED

Poor

Over: ROCK CR

NO DATA ENTERED, Ravalli, MT

Built 1970 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 136

MINER LAKE RD

Poor

Over: GOVERNOR CREEK 092

1M SW JACKSON, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1951 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 100

I 15 FRONTAGE RD

Poor

Over: BASIN CREEK 041

BASIN, Jefferson, MT

Built 1985 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 100

ALLISON RD

Poor

Over: PABLO FEEDER CANAL 046

3M NE ST IGNATIUS, Lake, MT

Built 1960 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 641

Poor

Over: SHEEP CREEK 002

6M NW MCCABE, Roosevelt, MT

Built 1986 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 9

S 200

Poor

Over: CLARK FORK RIVER

1M W THOMPSON FALLS, Sanders, MT

Built 1960 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 2,436

US 12

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE

18M NW FORSYTH, Rosebud, MT

Built 1938 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 226

US 191

Poor

Over: BOX ELDER CREEK

2M E ROY, Fergus, MT

Built 1942 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 287

S 200

Poor

Over: BRIGGS COULEE

8M NE GRASS RANGE, Fergus, MT

Built 1930 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 612

RD 352

Poor

Over: TWELVEMILE CREEK

HENDERSON-THOMPSON, Mineral, MT

Built 1955 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 50

REGINA RD

Poor

Over: TELEGRAPH CREEK 040

47M S MALTA, Phillips, MT

Built 1940 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 100

BEAR GULCH RD

Poor

Over: CLARK FORK RIVER 002

1M NE BEARMOUTH, Granite, MT

Built 1986 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 128

HWY 10 W

Poor

Over: NINEMILE SLIDE 026

3M W HUSON, Missoula, MT

Built 1947 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 140

IRR - S 24

Poor

Over: EAST FORK CHERRY CREEK

6M NE GLASGOW, Valley, MT

Built 1948 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 988

S 200

Poor

Over: CEMETERY COULEE

14M W BROCKWAY, McCone, MT

Built 1939 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 1,012

S 244

Poor

Over: YELLOW WATER CR-ELK CR

5M S WINNETT, Petroleum, MT

Built 1948 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 232

W RESERVE DR

Poor

Over: WHITEFISH RIVER

2M N KALISPELL, Flathead, MT

Built 1983 Load: 29.9 t ADT: 100

338 PETE CREEK RD

Poor

Over: WEST FORK YAAK RIVER

JUST PAST JCT WITH 5902, Lincoln, MT

Built 1987 Load: 30.1 t ADT: 50

IRR BIA RTE 226

Poor

Over: BLACK CANYON CREEK

51.5 KM SW OF LODGE GRASS, Big Horn, MT

Built 1965 Load: 30.3 t ADT: 5

FINLEY CR RD

Poor

Over: PLACID CR

FINLEY CR, Missoula, MT

Built 1959 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 50

RD 388

Poor

Over: CEDAR CR

SNOWSHOE PASS, Mineral, MT

Built 1954 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 50

FAIRVIEW RD

Poor

Over: S FORK MCDONALD CR 123

3M E FORESTGROVE, Fergus, MT

Built 1962 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

SLOWAY FRNTGE RD E

Poor

Over: ABANDONED RR 001

5M E ST REGIS, Mineral, MT

Built 1956 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

S 7

Poor

Over: COLLINS CREEK

6M NE EKALAKA, Carter, MT

Built 1940 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 390

US 89 FH 32

Poor

Over: BELT CREEK

9M S BELT, Cascade, MT

Built 1968 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,144

S 78

Poor

Over: YELLOWSTONE RIVER

COLUMBUS, Stillwater, MT

Built 1957 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 4,987

IRR - S 382

Poor

Over: RR

1M E PERMA, Sanders, MT

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 384

S 556-THOMPSON R R

Poor

Over: THOMPSON RIVER

26M NE THOMPSON FALLS, Sanders, MT

Built 1992 Load: 31.0 t ADT: 3

I 90

Poor

Over: CLARK FORK RIVER

5M W DRUMMOND, Granite, MT

Built 1970 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 11,980

TURAH RD

Poor

Over: CLARK FORK 103

4M SE BONNER, Missoula, MT

Built 1962 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

US 2

Poor

Over: DRAINAGE

4M E CHINOOK, Blaine, MT

Built 1940 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,067

S 91

Poor

Over: BOULDER RIVER OVERFLOW

BIG TIMBER, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1937 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,120

BIG CREEK ROAD

Poor

Over: GOOD CREEK

GOOD CREEK, Lincoln, MT

Built 1972 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 50

Showing 5,101-5,150 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.