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

IRR-US 2

Poor

Over: UNSTABLE SLOPE

1.9M SE ESSEX, Flathead, MT

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 965

I 90 EB

Poor

Over: RR

4.3M W GARRISON, Powell, MT

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,915

I 90

Poor

Over: RR

4.3M W GARRISON, Powell, MT

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 5,915

I 94

Poor

Over: CLEAR CREEK

10M SW GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,277

ROCK CREEK RD

Poor

Over: BIG LAKE CREEK 081

4M SW WISDOM, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1958 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

HOLT STAGE RD

Poor

Over: FLATHEAD RIV OVERFL0 014

2M E KALISPELL, Flathead, MT

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

JOCKO CANYON RD

Poor

Over: JOCKO RIVER 011

4M E ARLEE, Lake, MT

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

W 2ND ST

Poor

Over: FLOWER CREEK 123

NW EDGE LIBBY, Lincoln, MT

Built 1969 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

SEYLER LN

Poor

Over: RUBY RIVER 019

7M NW SHERIDAN, Madison, MT

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

HWY 10 W

Poor

Over: NINEMILE CREEK 035

3M W HUSON, Missoula, MT

Built 1924 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 140

MID BURNT FORK RD

Poor

Over: BITTERROOT CANAL 089

4M E STEVENSVILLE, Ravalli, MT

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

POPLAR RIVER RD

Poor

Over: POPLAR RIVER 015

22M N POPLAR, Roosevelt, MT

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 659

LIL BITTERROOT RD

Poor

Over: LITTLE BITTERROOT RV 070

8M E HOT SPRINGS, Sanders, MT

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

TAMPICO RD

Poor

Over: VANDALIA SOUTH CANAL 003

NW TAMPICO, Valley, MT

Built 2002 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 28

LOLO ST

Poor

Over: RATTLESNAKE CREEK 009

MISSOULA-LOLO STREET, Missoula, MT

Built 1966 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,349

S 37 FH 57

Poor

Over: CRIPPLE HORSE CREEK

6M NE LIBBY DAM, Lincoln, MT

Built 1974 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 449

S 37 FH 57

Poor

Over: ROCK GUT

22M N LIBBY DAM, Lincoln, MT

Built 1974 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 324

S 37 FH 57

Poor

Over: CADETTE CREEK

7M S REXFORD, Lincoln, MT

Built 1971 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 601

S 37 FH 57

Poor

Over: PINKHAM CREEK

7M S REXFORD, Lincoln, MT

Built 1971 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 601

S 37 FH 57

Poor

Over: TOBACCO RIVER

2M E REXFORD, Lincoln, MT

Built 1971 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,315

US 191 FH 42

Poor

Over: TEEPEE CREEK

11M N WEST YELLOWSTONE, Gallatin, MT

Built 1962 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,481

KOOTENAI RIVER RD

Poor

Over: PIPE CREEK

4M N LIBBY, Lincoln, MT

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 689

RD 128

Poor

Over: FLOWER CR

1 MI ABOVE RESERVOIR, Lincoln, MT

Built 1961 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 50

RD 231

Poor

Over: HOWARD CR

1 MI BELOW HOWARD LAKE, Lincoln, MT

Built 1976 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 50

FDR 209

Poor

Over: W FK MADISON RIVER

W FK MADISON RIVER, Madison, MT

Built 1970 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 30

I 90

Poor

Over: INT W GARRISON-RR

GARRISON, Powell, MT

Built 1979 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 5,165

CB ROUTE RD

Poor

Over: BR MAIN CANAL 035

3M NE FALLON, Prairie, MT

Built 1928 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 80

IRR - US 2

Poor

Over: MILK RIVER

FORT BELKNAP AGENCY, Blaine, MT

Built 1964 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 3,196

S 200

Poor

Over: STOCKPASS

23M SW SIMMS, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1949 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 1,382

US 191

Poor

Over: RYE CREEK

2M S MELVILLE, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1947 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 657

68 S.FORK YAAK RD

Poor

Over: SOUTH FORK YAAK RIVER

JUST PAST JCT WITH 746, Lincoln, MT

Built 1953 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 99

FOREST ROAD

Poor

Over: GOOD CREEK

GREGG CREEK ROAD, Flathead, MT

Built 1962 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 20

S MAIN STREET

Poor

Over: CLARK FORK RIVER 020

S DRUMMOND, Granite, MT

Built 1934 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 565

IRR - US 89

Poor

Over: BLACKTAIL CREEK

16M NW VALIER, Pondera, MT

Built 1965 Load: 34.5 t ADT: 947

NO DATA ENTERED

Poor

Over: CHAFFIN CR

NO DATA ENTERED, Ravalli, MT

Built 1947 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 10

I 90

Poor

Over: CLARK FORK RIVER

3.7M W SUPERIOR, Mineral, MT

Built 1984 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 3,615

PLEASANT VIEW RD

Poor

Over: SEVEN MILE CREEK 025

3M W GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1983 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 50

S 287

Poor

Over: WEBER IRRIGATION CANAL

2M SW ENNIS, Madison, MT

Built 1950 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 2,257

RD 615

Poor

Over: PIPE CREEK

BARRON BLUE, Lincoln, MT

Built 1962 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 50

LIGHT RD

Poor

Over: PABLO 31A CANAL 036

5M S POLSON, Lake, MT

Built 2009 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 287

PLACID LAKE RD

Poor

Over: OWL CREEK 077

3M S SEELEY LAKE, Missoula, MT

Built 1970 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 524

Poor

Over: N FK THIRTEN MILE CR 091

9M NE BLOOMFIELD, Dawson, MT

Built 1983 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

IRR - US 93

Poor

Over: NINE PIPE RESERVOIR

5M S RONAN, Lake, MT

Built 1933 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 7,072

S 204-STAGE RD

Poor

Over: DODSON SOUTH CANAL

1M S DODSON, Phillips, MT

Built 1954 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 99

I 90

Poor

Over: ABANDONED RR

THREE FORKS, Gallatin, MT

Built 1969 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 8,465

VANDALIA RD

Poor

Over: MILK RIVER 012

N VANDALIA, Valley, MT

Built 1989 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 53

S 1

Poor

Over: CLARK FORK

DRUMMOND, Granite, MT

Built 1966 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 1,329

SKALKAHO HWY

Poor

Over: SKALKAHO CREEK 053

1M E GRANTSDALE, Ravalli, MT

Built 1941 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,703

S 83 FH 15

Poor

Over: LION CREEK

17M S SWAN LAKE, Lake, MT

Built 1996 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,206

RD 763

Poor

Over: FISHER RIVER

FISHER RIVER, Lincoln, MT

Built 1969 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 50

Showing 5,151-5,200 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.