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

BAD ROUTE RD

Fair

Over: INT BAD ROUTE-I 94 004

8M NE FALLON, Dawson, MT

Built 1973 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 054

Fair

Over: SANDSTONE CREEK 034

5M E PLEVNA, Fallon, MT

Built 2005 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 7

COUNTY ROAD 220

Fair

Over: FORDS CREEK 006

14M NW GRASSRANGE, Fergus, MT

Built 1981 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

I 15 FRONTAGE RD

Fair

Over: BOULDER RIVER 043

2M W BASIN, Jefferson, MT

Built 1985 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

OLD US HWY 93

Fair

Over: MUD CREEK 097

4M N RONAN, Lake, MT

Built 2007 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

S 528

Fair

Over: PRAIRIE ELK CREEK 021

10M SW WOLF POINT, McCone, MT

Built 1972 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 76

NICKWALL RD

Fair

Over: NICKWALL CREEK 012

20M NE VIDA, McCone, MT

Built 1970 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

ROCK CR RD

Fair

Over: CLARK FK-RR-HWY 106

ROCK CREEK INT, Missoula, MT

Built 1972 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 592

RIVERVIEW DR

Fair

Over: CLEARWATER RIVER 084

1M W SEELEY LAKE, Missoula, MT

Built 1967 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

SHIELDS RIVER RD

Fair

Over: SHIELDS RIVER 011

14M NE WILSALL, Park, MT

Built 1957 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

FRONTAGE RD E 448

Fair

Over: COUNTY ROAD 008

10M E LIVINGSTON, Park, MT

Built 1987 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 70

RIVER JUNCTION/ SC

Fair

Over: BLACKFOOT RIVER 004

6M W OVANDO, Powell, MT

Built 1994 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

OLD HWY 10 W

Fair

Over: WILLIAMS COULEE 007

13M SW TERRY, Prairie, MT

Built 1930 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 504

CB ROUTE RD

Fair

Over: BR MAIN CANAL 037

4M NE FALLON, Prairie, MT

Built 1966 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 80

COUNTY ROAD 329

Fair

Over: USBR MAIN CANAL 057

3M N SAVAGE, Richland, MT

Built 1996 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 42

HAMMOND VALLEY RD

Fair

Over: GREASEWOOD CREEK 033

7M NW FORSYTH, Rosebud, MT

Built 1979 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 65

LIL BITTERROOT RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE BITTERROOT 074

12M W RONAN, Sanders, MT

Built 1986 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

BURLINGTON ST

Fair

Over: SEP I 90 006

BUTTE-BURLINGTON ST, Silver Bow, MT

Built 1964 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 580

13TH LN NE

Fair

Over: TETON RIVER 099

5M N DUTTON, Teton, MT

Built 1965 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

OLD HWY 10

Fair

Over: IRRIGATION DITCH 024

10M E HYSHAM, Treasure, MT

Built 1933 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 271

ROCK CREEK RD

Fair

Over: WILLOW CREEK 030

14M N HINSDALE, Valley, MT

Built 2000 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

W M RD

Fair

Over: ARROW CREEK 099

3M NE WORDEN, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1975 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 216

ALKALI CREEK RD

Fair

Over: ALKALI CREEK 034

2M NW BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1989 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 989

OLD HWY 312

Fair

Over: CUSTER COULEE 171

2M E HUNTLEY, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1928 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 2,758

GOLF COURSE RD

Fair

Over: BIG DITCH 029

2M W LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1968 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 1,267

IRR - US 2

Fair

Over: DEVIL CREEK

6M SW SUMMIT, Flathead, MT

Built 1963 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 1,929

US 89

Fair

Over: MILL COULEE CREEK

2M NE SUN RIVER, Cascade, MT

Built 1940 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 1,428

US 310

Fair

Over: CLARKS FK YELLOWSTONE

2M S BRIDGER, Carbon, MT

Built 1971 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 2,245

US 93 FH 19

Fair

Over: RYE CREEK

5M SE DARBY, Ravalli, MT

Built 1990 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 1,069

US 287

Fair

Over: MADISON RIVER

ENNIS, Madison, MT

Built 2001 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 4,210

US 12

Fair

Over: DEEP CREEK

16M E TOWNSEND, Broadwater, MT

Built 2014 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 707

US 12

Fair

Over: FOUR MILE CREEK

6M NE WHITE SULPHUR SPR, Meagher, MT

Built 1937 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 477

US 87

Fair

Over: RR

BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1993 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 23,275

S 16

Fair

Over: FOX CREEK

5M SW SIDNEY, Richland, MT

Built 1974 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 2,766

S 16

Fair

Over: MEDICINE LAKE

1M S MEDICINE LAKE, Sheridan, MT

Built 1975 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 846

US 212

Fair

Over: WILLOW CREEK

8M NW ALZADA, Carter, MT

Built 1955 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 2,170

S 5

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK

8M SW WESTBY, Sheridan, MT

Built 1939 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 307

S 13

Fair

Over: OUTLET CREEK

11M N SCOBEY, Daniels, MT

Built 1957 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 42

IRR - S 28

Fair

Over: LITTLE BITTERROOT RIVER

1M N LONEPINE, Sanders, MT

Built 2010 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 1,842

IRR - S 39

Fair

Over: RR-POWER PLANT ROAD

SOUTH EDGE COLSTRIP, Rosebud, MT

Built 1981 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 1,243

US 191

Fair

Over: AMERICAN FORK

10M S HARLOWTON, Wheatland, MT

Built 1942 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 702

S 43

Fair

Over: BIG HOLE RIVER

7M NW WISE RIVER, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1960 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 419

IRR-S 47

Fair

Over: INT W HARDIN I 90

HARDIN-N CRAWFORD AVE, Big Horn, MT

Built 1970 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 1,390

S 35

Fair

Over: FLATHEAD RIVER

2M E KALISPELL, Flathead, MT

Built 1994 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 14,368

S 200

Fair

Over: BIG DRY CREEK

12M SW JORDAN, Garfield, MT

Built 1992 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 479

US 89

Fair

Over: SHIELDS RIVER

4M SE CLYDE PARK, Park, MT

Built 1984 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 1,430

US 89 FH 32

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK SMITH RIVER

2M NE WHITE SULPHUR SPR, Meagher, MT

Built 1955 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 596

US 191

Fair

Over: ARMELLS CREEK

27M NE ROY, Fergus, MT

Built 1963 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 622

S 80

Fair

Over: CHIMNEY ROCK

2M SE GERALDINE, Chouteau, MT

Built 1949 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 234

S 83 FH 15

Fair

Over: LOST CREEK

3M S SWAN LAKE, Lake, MT

Built 1953 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 1,166

Showing 1,551-1,600 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.