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: FLY CREEK

2.5M E POMPEYS PILLAR, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1976 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,385

I 94

Fair

Over: S 39TH RD

4.3M E POMPEYS PILLAR, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1976 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,385

I 94

Fair

Over: S 39TH RD

4.3M E POMPEYS PILLAR, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1976 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,385

I 94

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK ROAD

11.2M E POMPEYS PILLAR, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1973 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,385

I 94

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK ROAD

11.2M E POMPEYS PILLAR, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1973 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,385

I 94

Fair

Over: INT RESERVATION CR-RD

12M W FORSYTH, Rosebud, MT

Built 1973 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,067

I 94

Fair

Over: INT CRACKER BOX ROAD

12M SW GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1973 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,139

IRRC0UNTY ROAD 223

Fair

Over: SOAP CREEK 020

9M SW ST XAVIER, Big Horn, MT

Built 1980 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

OLD HWY 87

Fair

Over: RR 025

12M W HARDIN, Big Horn, MT

Built 2006 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 561

DUTCH LN

Fair

Over: SILVERTIP CREEK 060

1M NE BELFRY, Carbon, MT

Built 2006 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

CORA CREEK RD

Fair

Over: CORA CREEK 075

7M SE BELT, Cascade, MT

Built 1950 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

LANDER CROSSING

Fair

Over: HIGHWOOD CREEK 060

7M NW HIGHWOOD, Chouteau, MT

Built 1986 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

FRNTAGE ROAD 81020

Fair

Over: MACKS CREEK 038

23M NE MILES CITY, Custer, MT

Built 1929 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 504

WHOOPUP RD-RD 248

Fair

Over: INT WHOOPUP RD-I 94 001

9M SW GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1976 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 72

ROAD 250

Fair

Over: IRRIGATION CANAL 047

12M S GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1979 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

LOWER RD

Fair

Over: WOLF CREEK 086

5M SW DENTON, Fergus, MT

Built 1962 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 73

PENWELL BRIDGE RD

Fair

Over: E GALLATIN RIVER 059

3M NE BELGRADE, Gallatin, MT

Built 1985 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 560

SPAIN BRIDGE RD

Fair

Over: E GALLATIN RIVER 058

5M E BELGRADE, Gallatin, MT

Built 1975 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

CANAL RD

Fair

Over: GODFREY CREEK 083

2M S CHURCHILL, Gallatin, MT

Built 1988 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

MT HWY 2

Fair

Over: COLBERT CREEK 063

7M W WHITEHALL, Jefferson, MT

Built 1931 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 579

SCHWARTZ CREEK RD

Fair

Over: CLARK FORK 093

1M S CLINTON, Missoula, MT

Built 1956 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

NF 132-BIG CREEK R

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK 063

11M SW EMIGRANT, Park, MT

Built 1997 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

BLAZEN RD

Fair

Over: PONDERA COULEE 079

CONRAD-BLAZEN RD, Pondera, MT

Built 2004 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

OVANDO HELMVILLE R

Fair

Over: N FK BLACKFOOT RIVER 005

13M N HELMVILLE, Powell, MT

Built 2000 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 50

COUNTY ROAD 074

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE 031

12M NW SIDNEY, Richland, MT

Built 1994 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

LIL PORCUPINE CR R

Fair

Over: LITTLE PORCUPINE CR 014

11M N FORSYTH, Rosebud, MT

Built 1978 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 223

SLOAN RD

Fair

Over: FLATHEAD RIVER 075

10M W RONAN, Sanders, MT

Built 1972 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

OLD US 10

Fair

Over: COULEE CREEK 023

7M E REED POINT, Stillwater, MT

Built 1931 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

BOULDER RD

Fair

Over: MILLER CREEK 001

19M S MCLEOD, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 156

BRIDGER CREEK RD

Fair

Over: BRIDGER CREEK 054

15M S GREYCLIFF, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 2004 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

DEHART TRAIL

Fair

Over: INT DEHART I 90 007

7M SW BIG TIMBER, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1981 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

OLD US 10

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK 035

2M NW GREYCLIFF, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1936 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 342

EDGE HILL RD E

Fair

Over: BEAVER CREEK 017

18M S WIBAUX, Wibaux, MT

Built 1997 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

DUCK CREEK RD

Fair

Over: YELLOWSTONE RIVER 020

SW BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1991 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

OLD HWY 312

Fair

Over: SEVEN MILE CREEK 168

5M SW HUNTLEY, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1947 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 7,499

US 2

Fair

Over: LIBBY CREEK

11M S LIBBY, Lincoln, MT

Built 1988 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,597

US 2

Fair

Over: DODSON NORTH CANAL

DODSON, Phillips, MT

Built 1976 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,189

US 2

Fair

Over: CHERRY CREEK OVERFLOW

1M N GLASGOW, Valley, MT

Built 1980 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 6,660

US 2

Fair

Over: CHERRY CREEK

1M N GLASGOW, Valley, MT

Built 1979 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 6,660

IRR - S 200

Fair

Over: JOCKO RIVER-RR

RAVALLI, Lake, MT

Built 1998 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,902

US 93

Fair

Over: BITTERROOT RIVER

2M N HAMILTON, Ravalli, MT

Built 2005 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 14,663

US 12

Fair

Over: LITTLE BLACKFOOT RIVER

AVON, Powell, MT

Built 1982 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,794

PROSPECT AVE-US 12

Fair

Over: INT CAPITOL-I 15

HELENA-PROSPECT AVE, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1961 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 11,806

PROSPECT AVE-US 12

Fair

Over: INT CAPITOL-I 15

HELENA-PROSPECT AVE, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1961 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 11,806

US 287

Fair

Over: DEEP CREEK

3M S CHOTEAU, Teton, MT

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 529

S 7

Fair

Over: RATTLESNAKE CREEK

22M S WIBAUX, Wibaux, MT

Built 1942 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 624

S 24

Fair

Over: NELSON CREEK

15M N FLOWING WELLS, McCone, MT

Built 1963 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 134

S 43

Fair

Over: BIG HOLE RIVER

3M W DIVIDE, Silver Bow, MT

Built 1968 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 576

S 35

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK

1M E KALISPELL, Flathead, MT

Built 1966 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 12,559

US 87

Fair

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

5M SW LEWISTOWN, Fergus, MT

Built 2009 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,443

Showing 1,901-1,950 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.