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 COUNTY RD 300

3M E GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1980 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,082

OLD STAGE RD

Fair

Over: LOCAL DRAINAGE 048

E BARRETTS INT, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1959 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 292

PASS CREEK RD

Fair

Over: PASS CREEK 021

5M SE WYOLA, Big Horn, MT

Built 1979 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 108

SIMMS ASHUELOT RD

Fair

Over: BLACKFOOT COULEE 053

2M NE SIMMS, Cascade, MT

Built 1976 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

MT 21

Fair

Over: HEPPLER COULEE 109

4M W SIMMS, Cascade, MT

Built 1934 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 418

SWAN RIVER RD

Fair

Over: SWAN RIVER 008

1M W FERNDALE, Flathead, MT

Built 1998 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

FRONTAGE ROAD 925

Fair

Over: INT JEFF CITY-I 15 001

JEFFERSON CITY, Jefferson, MT

Built 1970 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 061

Fair

Over: LITTLE PRICKLY PEAR 111

1M N SIEBEN INT, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1962 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 13

S 21

Fair

Over: DRY CREEK 122

12M W SIMMS, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1935 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 258

S 528

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK 022

5M SW WOLF POINT, McCone, MT

Built 1974 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 76

PLACID LAKE RD S

Fair

Over: OWL CREEK 086

4M S SEELEY LAKE, Missoula, MT

Built 1973 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

GLACIER CREEK RD

Fair

Over: SWAN RIVER 058

W CONDON, Missoula, MT

Built 2003 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

DAISY DEAN RD

Fair

Over: SHIELDS RIVER 019

2M NE WILSALL, Park, MT

Built 1984 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

FIDDLE CREEK RD

Fair

Over: SHIELDS RIVER 035

6M SE CLYDE PARK, Park, MT

Built 2001 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

CONTENT RD

Fair

Over: SAGE CREEK 054

39M S MALTA, Phillips, MT

Built 1986 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

IRRCOUNTY ROAD 208

Fair

Over: POPLAR RIVER 039

17M N POPLAR, Roosevelt, MT

Built 1964 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

OLD US 10

Fair

Over: INT E ROSEBUD I 94 003

1M SE ROSEBUD, Rosebud, MT

Built 1970 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 127

MARTEN CREEK RD

Fair

Over: TROUT CREEK 054

1M W TROUT CREEK, Sanders, MT

Built 2010 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 170

SHANNON RD

Fair

Over: CANYON CREEK DITCH 061

3M NE LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1984 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,800

DANFORD RD

Fair

Over: CANYON CREEK DITCH 108

5M SW BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1938 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,146

TREWIN SCHOOL RD

Fair

Over: BIG DITCH 066

5M W LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1985 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

SHEPHERD ACTON RD

Fair

Over: BBWA CANAL 086

4M W SHEPHERD, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1984 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

SPRING CREEK DR

Fair

Over: SPRING CREEK 095

1M NE KALISPELL, Flathead, MT

Built 1994 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,725

5TH ST SW

Fair

Over: USBR MAIN CANAL 082

SIDNEY-5TH ST, Richland, MT

Built 1999 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 860

SHERIDAN AVE

Fair

Over: SEP SHERIDAN ST I 15 002

BUTTE-SHERIDAN AVE, Silver Bow, MT

Built 1960 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,983

US 2

Fair

Over: MCKILLOP RD

2M W HAPPY`S INN, Lincoln, MT

Built 1960 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,480

IRR - US 2

Fair

Over: DODSON SOUTH CANAL

2M W DODSON, Phillips, MT

Built 1972 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,190

IRR - US 2

Fair

Over: MILK RIVER

2M W DODSON, Phillips, MT

Built 1972 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,190

US 310

Fair

Over: BRIDGER CREEK

2M S BRIDGER, Carbon, MT

Built 1971 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,245

US 93

Fair

Over: ASHLEY CREEK

S OF KALISPELL, Flathead, MT

Built 2001 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 17,385

US 93 FH 19

Fair

Over: BITTERROOT RIVER

4M SE DARBY, Ravalli, MT

Built 1986 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,069

US 12

Fair

Over: DEEP CREEK

18M NE TOWNSEND, Broadwater, MT

Built 2014 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 707

US 12

Fair

Over: DEEP CREEK

18M NE TOWNSEND, Broadwater, MT

Built 2014 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 707

US 12

Fair

Over: TWIN COULEE

1M E LAVINA, Golden Valley, MT

Built 1935 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 459

S 59

Fair

Over: DRY HOUSE CREEK

25 M NW MILES CITY, Rosebud, MT

Built 2007 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,250

S 21

Fair

Over: IRRIGATION CANAL

1M S CONRAD, Pondera, MT

Built 1988 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 702

US 212

Fair

Over: LITTLE POWDER RIVER

7M SE BROADUS, Powder River, MT

Built 1976 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,463

US 212

Fair

Over: LITTLE MISSOURI RIVER

1M NW ALZADA, Carter, MT

Built 1965 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,509

S 13

Fair

Over: S FORK BUFFALO CREEK

8M NE CIRCLE, McCone, MT

Built 1988 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 787

S 7

Fair

Over: LITTLE BEAVER CREEK

6M NE EKALAKA, Carter, MT

Built 2010 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 390

S 287

Fair

Over: WATER GULCH

4M NW VIRGINIA CITY, Madison, MT

Built 1942 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,151

IRR - S 24

Fair

Over: WEST FK PORCUPINE CREEK

18M S OPHEIM, Valley, MT

Built 1940 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 290

IRR - S 24

Fair

Over: ALKALI CREEK

10M S OPHEIM, Valley, MT

Built 1935 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 199

US 87

Fair

Over: BOYD CREEK

1M E LEWISTOWN, Fergus, MT

Built 1942 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,908

US 12-E BROADWAY S

Fair

Over: RATTLESNAKE CREEK

MISSOULA-E BROADWAY ST, Missoula, MT

Built 1964 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 23,299

S 72

Fair

Over: CLARKS FORK YELLOWSTONE

5M S BELFRY, Carbon, MT

Built 1970 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,498

S 78

Fair

Over: SHANE CREEK

3M S COLUMBUS, Stillwater, MT

Built 2007 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,305

US 287

Fair

Over: GRAYLING CREEK

10M NW WEST YELLOWSTONE, Gallatin, MT

Built 1964 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,059

S 89

Fair

Over: INT SOUTH DILLON I 15

DILLON, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1983 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,770

HIGHWOOD RD

Fair

Over: RED COULEE

13M E GREAT FALLS, Cascade, MT

Built 1941 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 549

Showing 2,001-2,050 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.