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

US 12

Fair

Over: WILLOW CREEK

4M NE ROUNDUP, Musselshell, MT

Built 1999 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 573

US 12

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE

32M NW FORSYTH, Rosebud, MT

Built 1941 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 144

S 1

Fair

Over: WARM SPRINGS CREEK

1M W ANACONDA, Deer Lodge, MT

Built 1990 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 4,724

S 1

Fair

Over: BOULDER CREEK

MAXVILLE, Granite, MT

Built 1986 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,123

S 7

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE-STOCKPASS

18M S WIBAUX, Wibaux, MT

Built 1942 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 624

S 7

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK

SOUTH EDGE OF WIBAUX, Wibaux, MT

Built 1949 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,661

IRR - S 13

Fair

Over: SPRAGUE COULEE

23M S SCOBEY, Roosevelt, MT

Built 1931 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 179

IRR - L44235

Fair

Over: ARMELLS CREEK

22M NW COLSTRIP, Rosebud, MT

Built 1967 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 100

US 191 FH 42

Fair

Over: GALLATIN RIVER

5M S GALLATIN GATEWAY, Gallatin, MT

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 10,163

S 200

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

8M NE CIRCLE, McCone, MT

Built 1960 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 237

S 200S-TOWNE ST

Fair

Over: YELLOWSTONE RIVER

GLENDIVE-TOWNE ST, Dawson, MT

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 8,640

S 72

Fair

Over: CLARKS FORK YELLOWSTONE

4M NE BELFRY, Carbon, MT

Built 2011 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,722

S 80

Fair

Over: FLAT CREEK

3M SE GERALDINE, Chouteau, MT

Built 1949 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 234

S 80

Fair

Over: BUTTE CREEK

6M SE SQUARE BUTTE, Chouteau, MT

Built 1950 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 157

S 91

Fair

Over: BOULDER RIVER

BIG TIMBER, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1938 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,120

US 94

Fair

Over: UPPER SEVEN MILE CREEK

1M SW GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1959 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 2,450

US 94

Fair

Over: UPPER SEVEN MILE CREEK

1M SW GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1959 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,225

SOLLID RD

Fair

Over: SEP SOLLID ROAD-I 15

CONRAD, Pondera, MT

Built 1972 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 569

MT HWY 91

Fair

Over: POINDEXTER SLOUGH

3M SW DILLON, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1936 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 582

WINIFRED HWY

Fair

Over: DOG CREEK

4M N HILGER, Fergus, MT

Built 1953 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 474

WINIFRED HWY

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE

3M S CHRISTINA, Fergus, MT

Built 1954 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 474

WINIFRED HWY

Fair

Over: DOG CREEK

CHRISTINA, Fergus, MT

Built 1954 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 474

TURNER RD

Fair

Over: S FORK WAYNE CREEK

7M NE HARLEM, Blaine, MT

Built 1947 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 61

TURNER RD

Fair

Over: W SAVOY CREEK

13M NE HARLEM, Blaine, MT

Built 1947 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 61

S 252-HORSE CR RD

Fair

Over: DENWOODY CREEK

7M NW CIRCLE, McCone, MT

Built 1950 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 103

S 253

Fair

Over: REDWATER RIVER

NW BROCKWAY, McCone, MT

Built 1950 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 417

MAIN BOULDER RD

Fair

Over: BOULDER RIVER

3M NE MCLEOD, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1950 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 526

MARSH RD

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE

1M S GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1964 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 434

IRR - S 344

Fair

Over: SMOKE CREEK

12M W FROID, Roosevelt, MT

Built 1960 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 90

IRR - S 344

Fair

Over: BIG MUDDY CREEK

4M W FROID, Roosevelt, MT

Built 1956 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 152

S 359

Fair

Over: JEFFERSON RIVER

JEFFERSON ISLAND, Madison, MT

Built 1967 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 1,402

N 19TH AVE

Fair

Over: RR-S 205

BOZEMAN-N 19TH AVE, Gallatin, MT

Built 1994 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 8,885

S SHILOH RD

Fair

Over: CANYON CREEK

2M SW BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1959 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 3,878

S 435

Fair

Over: SMITH CREEK

4M SW AUGUSTA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1958 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 33

S 447

Fair

Over: ROSEBUD CREEK

7M SW ROSEBUD, Rosebud, MT

Built 1971 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 126

S 447

Fair

Over: ROSEBUD CREEK OVERFLOW

7M SW ROSEBUD, Rosebud, MT

Built 1971 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 126

OLD STAGE ROAD

Fair

Over: YELLOWSTONE RIVER 077

1M N SPRINGDALE, Park, MT

Built 1980 Load: 25.4 t ADT: 102

IRR - S 313

Fair

Over: ROTTEN GRASS CREEK

SAINT XAVIER, Big Horn, MT

Built 1983 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 617

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: JERRY CREEK

JERRY CR, Deer Lodge, MT

Built 1965 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 50

FOREST ROAD

Fair

Over: HALLOWAT CREEK

8 MI WEST NORTH FORK RD, Flathead, MT

Built 1956 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 10

DIVIDE CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: TOM MINER CREEK

TOM MINER BASIN, Park, MT

Built 1976 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 50

STEEP CREEK ROAD

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK

BIG CR, Lincoln, MT

Built 1963 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 40

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FK BULL RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Sanders, MT

Built 1995 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 50

PRIMROSE LN

Fair

Over: JEFFERSON RIVER

SILVER STAR, Madison, MT

Built 2003 Load: 25.6 t ADT: 108

1-LANE ROAD

Fair

Over: LAKE FORK ROCK CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Carbon, MT

Built 1952 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 50

1-LANE ROAD

Fair

Over: W.FORK STILLWATER RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1964 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 50

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FORK ROCK CR

AT JUNCTION TO MOOSE LAKE, Granite, MT

Built 1956 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 50

FOREST ROAD

Fair

Over: GRAVES CREEK

GRAVES CREEK, Flathead, MT

Built 2002 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 75

BANNER CREEK RD

Fair

Over: RUBY CREEK

TEN MILE, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1964 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 60

NFDR 3350

Fair

Over: DRY FORK BELT CREEK

0.1 MI SOUTH 120/3350 JCT, Judith Basin, MT

Built 1967 Load: 25.9 t ADT: 40

Showing 1,201-1,250 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.