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

I 90

Fair

Over: INT TWO MILE-ST REGIS R

3.7M W ST. REGIS, Mineral, MT

Built 1981 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 3,180

I 90

Fair

Over: GREENOUGH DR-RATTLESNAKE

MISSOULA, Missoula, MT

Built 1966 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 11,726

I 90

Fair

Over: GREENOUGH DR-RATTLESNAKE

MISSOULA, Missoula, MT

Built 1966 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 11,726

I 90

Fair

Over: RATTLESNAKE CR-INT RAMP

MISSOULA, Missoula, MT

Built 1966 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,258

I 90

Fair

Over: SEP YOUNGS POINT ROAD

4.3M W PARK CITY, Stillwater, MT

Built 1970 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 5,470

I 94

Fair

Over: DICKIE ROAD

3.7M E BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1967 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 4,414

I 94

Fair

Over: RR

SW FALLON, Prairie, MT

Built 1977 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 2,191

POWDERVILLE RD

Fair

Over: MIZPAH CREEK 020

43M SE MILES CITY, Custer, MT

Built 1931 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 47

SEVEN MILE DR

Fair

Over: SEP I 94-7 MILE DR 094

1M SW GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1969 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

WHOOPUP RD-RD 248

Fair

Over: IRRIGATION CANAL 048

10M S GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1940 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 72

ROSE CREEK RD

Fair

Over: ROSE CREEK 108

3M E WINIFRED, Fergus, MT

Built 1980 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

S FORK RD

Fair

Over: FLATWILLOW CREEK 124

14M SE FORESTGROVE, Fergus, MT

Built 1986 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

GRAVES RD

Fair

Over: FLATWILLOW CREEK 001

20M S GRASSRANGE, Fergus, MT

Built 1988 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

DERN RD

Fair

Over: ASHLEY CREEK 005

1M W KALISPELL, Flathead, MT

Built 2005 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

MT HWY 2

Fair

Over: BIG PIPESTONE CREEK 062

4M W WHITEHALL, Jefferson, MT

Built 1931 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 579

SILVER BUTTE RD

Fair

Over: EAST FISHER CREEK 076

10M W HAPPY`S INN, Lincoln, MT

Built 1975 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

SUNNYSIDE RD

Fair

Over: REDWATER RIVER 014

22M SE WOLF POINT, McCone, MT

Built 1989 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

BONITA RNGR STA RD

Fair

Over: INT ROCK CREEK I 90 004

3M SE CLINTON, Missoula, MT

Built 1972 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

MILL CREEK RD

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK 044

5M E EMIGRANT, Park, MT

Built 1972 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 242

DOVETAIL VALENTINE

Fair

Over: BUFFALO CREEK 006

6M N WINNETT, Petroleum, MT

Built 1983 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

OLD US 10

Fair

Over: BROWN CREEK 013

4M SE COLUMBUS, Stillwater, MT

Built 1935 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,607

OLD US 10

Fair

Over: LOWER DEER CREEK 006

2M NW GREYCLIFF, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1928 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 342

FRONTAGE ROAD 018

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE 010

4M E HYSHAM, Treasure, MT

Built 1933 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 218

FOX FARM RD

Fair

Over: HAY COULEE 006

7M E GLASGOW, Valley, MT

Built 1930 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

AITKEN RD

Fair

Over: CHERRY CREEK 080

SW EDGE GLASGOW, Valley, MT

Built 1938 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

W I RD

Fair

Over: CUSTER COULEE 098

6M NE HUNTLEY, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1962 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

PRYOR CREEK RD

Fair

Over: INT PRYOR CREEK 012

9M E BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1969 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

CUSTER FRTG RD

Fair

Over: SAND COULEE 003

1M E POMPEYS PILLAR, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1940 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 146

CUSTER FRTG RD

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK 018

4M E POMPEY`S PILLAR, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1940 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 146

CUSTER FRTG RD

Fair

Over: BULL MOUNTAIN CREEK 019

5M NE POMPEY`S PILLAR, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1940 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 146

E COTTONWOOD DR

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK 150

KALISPELL-E COTTONWOOD DR, Flathead, MT

Built 1991 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

US 2

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE

3M E CHINOOK, Blaine, MT

Built 1940 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 2,067

US 2

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE

1M W ZURICH, Blaine, MT

Built 1940 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 2,067

US 2

Fair

Over: BUGGY CREEK

12M NW GLASGOW, Valley, MT

Built 1948 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,148

IRR - US 2

Fair

Over: FLYNN CREEK

8M W WOLF POINT, Roosevelt, MT

Built 1956 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,405

US 2

Fair

Over: LITTLE MUDDY CREEK

4M E BAINVILLE, Roosevelt, MT

Built 2010 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,440

US 89

Fair

Over: TWO MEDICINE RIVER

11M SE BROWNING, Glacier, MT

Built 1950 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,184

US 212

Fair

Over: RR

2M NE LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1936 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 5,491

SECOND ST

Fair

Over: WHITEFISH RIVER

WHITEFISH-SECOND ST, Flathead, MT

Built 2013 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 11,535

MADISON ST-US 12

Fair

Over: CLARK FORK RIVER

MISSOULA-MADISON ST, Missoula, MT

Built 1958 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 21,606

US 287

Fair

Over: DRY WASH

6M S CHOTEAU, Teton, MT

Built 1936 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 446

US 87

Fair

Over: GRAVEL COULEE

9M NE BOX ELDER, Hill, MT

Built 1954 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,816

S 59

Fair

Over: SOUTH FORK SUNDAY CREEK

3M NW MILES CITY, Custer, MT

Built 1930 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,465

S 200

Fair

Over: MONTURE CREEK

3M NW OVANDO, Powell, MT

Built 1986 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 2,627

S 2

Fair

Over: RADER CREEK

7M E PIPESTONE PASS, Jefferson, MT

Built 1931 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 673

IRR - S 24

Fair

Over: DRY FORK CREEK

25M SW OPHEIM, Valley, MT

Built 1948 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 290

US 191

Fair

Over: CAYUSE CREEK

1M NE MELVILLE, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1947 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 657

S 43 FH 20

Fair

Over: RUBY CREEK

11M W WISDOM, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1961 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 431

S 43

Fair

Over: STEEL CREEK

1M N WISDOM, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1956 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 330

S 43

Fair

Over: BIG HOLE RIVER

16M NE WISDOM, Deer Lodge, MT

Built 1960 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 330

Showing 751-800 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.