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

PORCUPINE RIDGE RD

Fair

Over: MID FORK JUDITH RV 035

2M S SAPPHIRE, Judith Basin, MT

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

N VALLEY CREEK RD

Fair

Over: JOCKO RIVER 054

2M S RAVALLI, Lake, MT

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 451

N CROW RD

Fair

Over: PABLO FEEDER CANAL 007

3M SE PABLO, Lake, MT

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

WYLIE DR

Fair

Over: HELENA VALLEY CANAL 081

2M N EAST HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1958 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,571

SIERRA ROAD E

Fair

Over: PRICKLY PEAR CREEK 077

5M NE HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1998 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 619

RIMINI RD

Fair

Over: TEN MILE CREEK 105

15M SW HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 230

EDNA CREEK RD

Fair

Over: FORTINE CREEK 132

4M SW TREGO, Lincoln, MT

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

SINCLAIR CREEK RD

Fair

Over: SINCLAIR CREEK 160

3M NE EUREKA, Lincoln, MT

Built 1977 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

LAKE CREEK RD

Fair

Over: LAKE CREEK 074

4M S TROY, Lincoln, MT

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

HOUGHTON CREEK RD

Fair

Over: FISHER RIVER 086

12M W HAPPY`S INN, Lincoln, MT

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

MEADOW CREEK RD

Fair

Over: FORTINE CREEK 133

E FORTINE, Lincoln, MT

Built 1989 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,203

WELDON RD

Fair

Over: REMUDA CREEK 018

30M NW VIDA, McCone, MT

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

KOUNTZ RD

Fair

Over: JEFFERSON RIV OVRFLW 016

2M S WHITEHALL, Madison, MT

Built 1977 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 264

LEWIS LN

Fair

Over: RUBY RIVER 021

5M W SHERIDAN, Madison, MT

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 247

COTTONWOOD CREEK R

Fair

Over: RUBY RIVER 061

9M S ALDER, Madison, MT

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

SWEETWATER RD

Fair

Over: RUBY RIVER 059

11M S ALDER, Madison, MT

Built 1998 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

LINSHIRE RD

Fair

Over: ROCK CREEK 005

35M NW WHITE SULPHUR SPR, Meagher, MT

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 79

CLEAR RANGE RD

Fair

Over: SMITH RIVER 014

CAMP BAKER, Meagher, MT

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

SMITH RIVER ROAD

Fair

Over: SHEEP CREEK 003

10M N FORT LOGAN, Meagher, MT

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 131

BIRKY RD

Fair

Over: S FORK SMITH RIVER 028

7M SW WHITE SULPHUR SPR, Meagher, MT

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 31

BIG CREEK RD

Fair

Over: ST REGIS RIVER 019

HAUGAN, Mineral, MT

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

PACKER CREEK RD

Fair

Over: PACKER CREEK 008

N SALTESE, Mineral, MT

Built 1957 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

W NINEMILE RD

Fair

Over: NINEMILE CREEK 030

8M NW FRENCHTOWN, Missoula, MT

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 477

PLACID LAKE RD

Fair

Over: CLEARWATER RIVER 078

3M S SEELEY LAKE, Missoula, MT

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

SAWMILL GULCH RD

Fair

Over: RATTLESNAKE CREEK 017

3M N MISSOULA, Missoula, MT

Built 1989 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

PINERIDGE RD

Fair

Over: HOLLAND CREEK 054

7M S CONDON, Missoula, MT

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

PINERIDGE RD

Fair

Over: SWAN RIVER 055

7M S CONDON, Missoula, MT

Built 1977 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

GUEST RANCH RD

Fair

Over: SWAN RIVER 056

1.5M S CONDON, Missoula, MT

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

MALLARD WAY

Fair

Over: FRENCHTOWN CANAL 100

10M NW MISSOULA, Missoula, MT

Built 1975 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

CONLIN RD

Fair

Over: EMIGRANT CREEK 075

3M SE EMMIGRANT, Park, MT

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

TRAIL CREEK RD

Fair

Over: IRRIGATION CANAL 001

1M N EMIGRANT, Park, MT

Built 1989 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

PETROLIA LAKE RD

Fair

Over: MCDONALD CREEK 014

6M E WINNETT, Petroleum, MT

Built 1980 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

BLAKESLEE RD

Fair

Over: CANAL 030

7M N TEIGEN, Petroleum, MT

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

SAVOY RD

Fair

Over: DODSON NORTH CANAL 014

2M W DODSON, Phillips, MT

Built 1990 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 16

PRICE RD N

Fair

Over: PONDERA COULEE 007

9M E CONRAD, Pondera, MT

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

MIDWAY RD E

Fair

Over: PONDERA COULEE 003

16M NE BRADY, Pondera, MT

Built 1960 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 59

COALMINE RD

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE 032

15M W CONRAD, Pondera, MT

Built 1986 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

POWDERVILLE RD E

Fair

Over: CROW CREEK 004

23M NE BROADUS, Powder River, MT

Built 1986 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 48

SAWMILL RD

Fair

Over: CLARK FORK RIVER 026

GARRISON, Powell, MT

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 77

RAYMOND RD

Fair

Over: BLACKFOOT RIVER 077

6M S OVANDO, Powell, MT

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

OLD HWY 10 W

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE 022

1M SW TERRY, Prairie, MT

Built 1930 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 504

INDIAN PRAIRIE LP

Fair

Over: BIG CREEK 016

3M N VICTOR, Ravalli, MT

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

CHIEF VICTOR CAMP

Fair

Over: SWEATHOUSE CREEK 062

VICTOR, Ravalli, MT

Built 1993 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

SHEAFMAN CREEK RD

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK 106

5M S VICTOR, Ravalli, MT

Built 1973 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

AMBROSE CREEK RD

Fair

Over: BITTERROOT CANAL 093

6M SE FLORENCE, Ravalli, MT

Built 1986 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

MERIDIAN RD

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK 014

5M S VICTOR, Ravalli, MT

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

DUTCH HILL RD

Fair

Over: MILL CREEK 072

W OF WOODSIDE, Ravalli, MT

Built 1985 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

MID BURNT FORK RD

Fair

Over: NORTH BURNT FORK CK

10M SE STEVENSVILLE, Ravalli, MT

Built 2012 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 87

STEVENSVILLE AIRPO

Fair

Over: SUPPLY DITCH 092

1M NE STEVENSVILLE, Ravalli, MT

Built 1987 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

HOME ACRES RD

Fair

Over: SUPPLY DITCH 023

5M E VICTOR, Ravalli, MT

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 450

Showing 2,201-2,250 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.