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 94

Fair

Over: SEP ACCESS RD-DRAINAGE

19M NE MILES CITY, Custer, MT

Built 1971 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,111

I 94

Fair

Over: COUNTY ROAD 119

15M SW GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1973 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,139

I 94

Fair

Over: COUNTY ROAD 119

15M SW GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1973 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,139

I 94

Fair

Over: INT CRACKER BOX ROAD

12M SW GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1973 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,139

I 94

Fair

Over: INT P 20-SIDNEY

NW GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1969 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,894

I 94

Fair

Over: INT P 20-SIDNEY

NW GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1969 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,894

HIGH BRIDGE RD

Fair

Over: BEAVERHEAD RIVER 125

5M N CLARK CANYON DAM, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1980 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

WHITE LN

Fair

Over: EAST BENCH CANAL 102

2M SE DILLON, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1962 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

BOND RD

Fair

Over: SEP I 15 12

7M N DILLON, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1973 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 53

CROW CREEK RD

Fair

Over: CROW CREEK 014

3M N RADERSBURG, Broadwater, MT

Built 1967 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

VOLNEY CREEK RD

Fair

Over: RED LODGE CREEK 042

6M SE ROSCOE, Carbon, MT

Built 1930 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

10TH LN

Fair

Over: BENCH SOUTH CANAL 048

10M E FAIRFIELD, Cascade, MT

Built 1984 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

EWING RD

Fair

Over: BELT CREEK 074

3M N BELT, Cascade, MT

Built 1973 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

VALLEY DR E

Fair

Over: INT SHIRLEY-I 94 006

10M NE MILES CITY, Custer, MT

Built 1984 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 389

CROW ROCK RD

Fair

Over: GRIMES CREEK 010

19M NW MILES CITY, Custer, MT

Built 1986 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

POWDERVILLE RD

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK 003

42M SE MILES CITY, Custer, MT

Built 1980 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 47

FRONTAGE ROAD 011

Fair

Over: LOST CREEK 037

3M N WARM SPRINGS, Deer Lodge, MT

Built 1931 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 899

DONALDSON RD

Fair

Over: DRY WOLF CREEK 090

7M E DENTON, Fergus, MT

Built 1982 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

UPPER ELK CR RD

Fair

Over: ELK CREEK 126

6M S GRASSRANGE, Fergus, MT

Built 1982 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

MANLEY RD

Fair

Over: E GALLATIN RIVER 089

2M N BOZEMAN, Gallatin, MT

Built 1996 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

LOGAN TRIDENT RD

Fair

Over: GALLATIN RIVER 008

1M W LOGAN, Gallatin, MT

Built 1964 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 1,303

COTTONWOOD CNYN RD

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK 041

4M SE GALLATIN GATEWAY, Gallatin, MT

Built 1986 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

PAUL GULCH RD

Fair

Over: SEP I 90 002

WHITEHALL, Jefferson, MT

Built 1966 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 061

Fair

Over: LEVINGS GULCH 158

1M N SIEBEN INT, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1933 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 13

S WILLOW CREEK RD

Fair

Over: SOUTH WILLOW CREEK 064

4M S PONY, Madison, MT

Built 2003 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

DUNCAN DISTRICT RD

Fair

Over: RUBY RIVER 022

4M SW SHERIDAN, Madison, MT

Built 2010 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

ED LAVELL LN

Fair

Over: SIXTEENMILE CREEK 039

3M E RINGLING, Meagher, MT

Built 1959 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

PETTY CREEK RD

Fair

Over: CLARK FORK 008

2M E ALBERTON, Missoula, MT

Built 1964 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 930

SNOW BOWL RD

Fair

Over: GRANT CREEK 020

7M N MISSOULA, Missoula, MT

Built 1967 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

CONTENT RD

Fair

Over: SAGE CREEK OVERFLOW 055

39M SE MALTA, Phillips, MT

Built 1983 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

STAGE RD

Fair

Over: WILD HORSE CK OVRFLW 022

17M S DODSON, Phillips, MT

Built 1960 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

WAGNEW DUMO RD

Fair

Over: DODSON SOUTH CANAL 034

2M S WAGNER, Phillips, MT

Built 1981 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

W STRATER RD

Fair

Over: DODSON SOUTH CANAL 117

5M E MALTA, Phillips, MT

Built 1992 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

LITTLE BLACKFOOT R

Fair

Over: LITTLE BLACKFOOT R 021

3M S ELLISTON, Powell, MT

Built 1976 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

RACE TRACK RD

Fair

Over: INT RACETRACK-I 90 001

8M S DEER LODGE, Powell, MT

Built 1978 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

CUT OFF RD

Fair

Over: BIG BLACKFOOT RIVER 002

4M NW HELMVILLE, Powell, MT

Built 1955 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

IRR COUNTY ROAD 20

Fair

Over: SMOKE CREEK 016

21M N BROCKTON, Roosevelt, MT

Built 1955 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

S BAINVILLE RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE MUDDY CREEK 049

4M S BAINVILLE, Roosevelt, MT

Built 1995 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 42

ROSEBUD CREEK RD

Fair

Over: ROSEBUD CR OVRFLOW 046

10M SE COLSTRIP, Rosebud, MT

Built 1980 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 38

OLD HWY 10 E

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE 052

3M W FORSYTH, Rosebud, MT

Built 1941 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 350

OLD BOULDER RD

Fair

Over: SEP I 90 008

1M E BIG TIMBER, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1981 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

BLACKLEAF RD

Fair

Over: MUDDY CREEK 032

4M NW BYNUM, Teton, MT

Built 1982 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 52

3RD LN NW

Fair

Over: MUDDY CREEK 018

10M NE FARMINGTON, Teton, MT

Built 1938 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

POTTER RD

Fair

Over: INT POTTER RD I 15 004

6M S OILMONT, Toole, MT

Built 1980 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

BJORNBERG BRDG RD

Fair

Over: MILK RIVER 036

11M NW HINSDALE, Valley, MT

Built 1995 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

OSWEGO NORTH RD

Fair

Over: WEST FORK WOLF CREEK 057

17M N OSWEGO, Valley, MT

Built 1950 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

BRAZIL CREEK RD

Fair

Over: VANDALIA SOUTH CANAL 113

2M SW GLASGOW, Valley, MT

Built 1988 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

S SHAWMUT RD

Fair

Over: MUSSELSHELL RIVER 009

S SHAWMUT, Wheatland, MT

Built 1949 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

FRONTAGE ROAD 044

Fair

Over: INT ROCHLITZ I 94 001

5M W WIBAUX, Wibaux, MT

Built 1974 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 100

S 56TH ST W

Fair

Over: CANYON CREEK DITCH 075

W BILLINGS-S 56TH ST W, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1925 Load: 27.2 t ADT: 2,281

Showing 1,401-1,450 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.