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

FRNTAGE ROAD 81020

Fair

Over: MILES CREEK 037

20M NE MILES CITY, Custer, MT

Built 1929 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 504

FRONTAGE ROAD 146

Fair

Over: CLARK FORK RIVER 034

4M S WARM SPRINGS, Deer Lodge, MT

Built 1931 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

FRONTAGE ROAD 146

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE 025

4M S WARM SPRINGS, Deer Lodge, MT

Built 1931 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

RIVERSIDE RD

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK 148

1M SE CRESTON, Flathead, MT

Built 1989 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

RINGNECK DR

Fair

Over: STILLWATER RIVER 153

2M SE KALISPELL, Flathead, MT

Built 1992 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

BLACKWOOD RD

Fair

Over: HYALITE CREEK 052

4M SW BOZEMAN, Gallatin, MT

Built 1971 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

VAN NORMAN RD

Fair

Over: WOODY CREEK 001

26M NE JORDAN, Garfield, MT

Built 2004 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

MULLAN RD E

Fair

Over: FLINT CREEK 001

2M S DRUMMOND, Granite, MT

Built 1998 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

GOLD COIN ROAD

Fair

Over: FLINT CREEK 017

13M S DRUMMOND, Granite, MT

Built 1984 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

I 15 FRONTAGE RD

Fair

Over: BOULDER RIVER 042

BASIN, Jefferson, MT

Built 1985 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

MULLAN GULCH RD

Fair

Over: TWELVEMILE CREEK 014

HENDERSON, Mineral, MT

Built 1931 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 147

DEHY RD

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK 118

3M NW SACO, Phillips, MT

Built 2003 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

OLD US HWY 2

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK 101

20M E MALTA, Phillips, MT

Built 1932 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

KID CURRY RD

Fair

Over: EXETER CREEK 004

4M W MALTA, Phillips, MT

Built 1930 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

IRON CAP DR

Fair

Over: IRRIGATION CANAL 054

5M SE STEVENSVILLE, Ravalli, MT

Built 1972 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 015

Fair

Over: CHARLIE CREEK 039

37M NW SIDNEY, Richland, MT

Built 2004 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

FRONTAGE ROAD 020

Fair

Over: RESERVATION CREEK 036

12M W FORSYTH, Rosebud, MT

Built 1928 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 25

OLD HWY 10 E

Fair

Over: ARMELLS CREEK 045

5M W FORSYTH, Rosebud, MT

Built 1932 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 350

MILES CROSSING

Fair

Over: SILVER BOW CREEK 010

2M W RAMSEY, Silver Bow, MT

Built 2007 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 37

OLD US 10

Fair

Over: WORK CREEK 041

4M W REED POINT, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1932 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 29

MARIAS VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: MARIAS RIVER 001

5M S SHELBY, Toole, MT

Built 1936 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 649

GRAIN EAST RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE PORCUPINE CR 055

7M W LUSTRE, Valley, MT

Built 1985 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 56

BERGE RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE PORCUPINE CR 015

N FRAZER, Valley, MT

Built 1980 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

FOX FARM RD

Fair

Over: LINDEKE COULEE 007

8M E GLASGOW, Valley, MT

Built 1930 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

HOGAN RD

Fair

Over: PRYOR CREEK 007

7M S HUNTLEY, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1979 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

S 12TH RD

Fair

Over: HUNTLEY MAIN CANAL 156

6M NE HUNTLEY, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1976 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 5

ALLENDALE RD

Fair

Over: BBWA CANAL 027

3M E LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2001 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

OLD US 87

Fair

Over: E FORK PRYOR CREEK 174

9M SE BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1926 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 561

BERNHARDT RD

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE DITCH 191

LAUREL-BERNHARDT RD, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1980 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 121

US 94

Fair

Over: INT BAKER-I 94

2M NE MILES CITY, Custer, MT

Built 1974 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 643

US 89

Fair

Over: MILL COULEE CREEK

1M NE SUN RIVER, Cascade, MT

Built 1940 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,428

IRR - US 93

Fair

Over: INT DESMET I 90

5M NW MISSOULA, Missoula, MT

Built 1966 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 7,676

US 12

Fair

Over: LITTLE BLACKFOOT RIVER

1M W AVON, Powell, MT

Built 1982 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 3,129

US 287

Fair

Over: TETON RIVER

1M S CHOTEAU, Teton, MT

Built 1978 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 529

S 59

Fair

Over: YELLOWSTONE RIVER

MILES CITY, Custer, MT

Built 1957 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 3,086

S 59

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK SUNDAY CREEK

10M NW MILES CITY, Custer, MT

Built 1963 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 496

S 16

Fair

Over: LOWER 7 MILE CREEK

6M SW INTAKE, Dawson, MT

Built 1967 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 2,216

S 7-LOG CABIN RD

Fair

Over: INT E WIBAUX I 94

NORTHEAST WIBAUX, Wibaux, MT

Built 1962 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 100

IRR - S 39

Fair

Over: EAST FORK ARMELLS CREEK

16M NW COLSTRIP, Rosebud, MT

Built 1983 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 782

US 191-1ST AVE N

Fair

Over: BIG SPRING CREEK

LEWISTOWN-1ST AVE N, Fergus, MT

Built 1960 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 6,387

US 191

Fair

Over: YELLOWSTONE RIVER

1M N BIG TIMBER, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1938 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,689

US 191

Fair

Over: SPECIMEN CREEK

24M SE BIG SKY, Gallatin, MT

Built 1955 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 2,481

US 87

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE

10M NW GRASS RANGE, Fergus, MT

Built 1939 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,442

US 89

Fair

Over: KAY CREEK

6M SE CLYDE PARK, Park, MT

Built 1984 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 1,430

US 89 FH 32

Fair

Over: SHEEP CREEK

17M SW NEIHART, Meagher, MT

Built 1939 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 369

IRR - US 191

Fair

Over: BIG WARM CREEK

23M SW MALTA, Phillips, MT

Built 1941 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 375

US 191

Fair

Over: ASSINIBOINE CREEK

6M NE MALTA, Phillips, MT

Built 1936 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 211

S 221

Fair

Over: TETON RIVER

5M E CHOTEAU, Teton, MT

Built 1939 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 182

S 253

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE

18M NW TERRY, Prairie, MT

Built 1940 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 366

W RESERVE HWY

Fair

Over: BIG MUDDY CREEK

E EDGE RESERVE, Sheridan, MT

Built 1949 Load: 26.3 t ADT: 150

Showing 1,301-1,350 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.