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

BOULDER RD

Fair

Over: BOULDER RIVER 002

19M S MCLEOD, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1931 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 156

COUNTY ROAD 605

Fair

Over: IRRIGATION CANAL 107

6M E SACO, Valley, MT

Built 1950 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 100

13TH ST W

Fair

Over: BBWA CANAL 181

BILLINGS-13TH ST W, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1970 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 5,368

S 87

Fair

Over: MADISON RIVER

29M SE CAMERON, Madison, MT

Built 1961 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 1,394

US 87

Fair

Over: INT LOCKWOOD I 90

BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1966 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 23,275

US 87-E MAIN ST

Fair

Over: MILL DITCH

LEWISTOWN-E MAIN ST, Fergus, MT

Built 1922 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 8,688

S 391-MOORHEAD RD

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE OVERFLOW

4M SW BROADUS, Powder River, MT

Built 1935 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 74

W BRASSEY ST

Fair

Over: BIG SPRING CREEK

LEWISTOWN-W BRASSEY ST, Fergus, MT

Built 1920 Load: 15.4 t ADT: 1,899

AMSTERDAM RD

Fair

Over: GALLATIN RIVER

3M SW BELGRADE, Gallatin, MT

Built 1951 Load: 15.6 t ADT: 2,207

FOREST ROAD

Fair

Over: SPOTTED BEAR RIVER

SPOTTED BEAR RANGER STA., Flathead, MT

Built 1967 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 130

NFSR #275

Fair

Over: ROCK CREEK

3 MI. N. OF CRYSTAL LAKE, Fergus, MT

Built 1938 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 50

TAMPICO RD

Fair

Over: MILK RIVER

2M W GLASGOW, Valley, MT

Built 1960 Load: 15.9 t ADT: 478

1ST RD S

Fair

Over: MILL COULEE CANAL 046

9M E FAIRFIELD, Cascade, MT

Built 2004 Load: 16.1 t ADT: 100

1-LANE ROAD

Fair

Over: WEST ROSEBUD CREEK

9 MILES SW OF ROSCOE, Carbon, MT

Built 1959 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 50

NFSR #144

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK TETON RIVER

31 MI WESTERLY OF CHOTEAU, Teton, MT

Built 1965 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 65

FDR 204

Fair

Over: MOOSE CREEK

4 MI NE OF 119/204 RD JCT, Meagher, MT

Built 1956 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 50

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: MONTURE CREEK

COTTONWOOD LAKES, Powell, MT

Built 1953 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 50

RD 7670

Fair

Over: BEATRICE CR

BEATRICE CR, Sanders, MT

Built 1959 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 50

COUNTY LINE RD

Fair

Over: GREENFIELD CANAL 044

7M E FAIRFIELD, Cascade, MT

Built 1973 Load: 16.2 t ADT: 100

I 90

Fair

Over: ST. REGIS RVR-LOCAL RD

4.3M E DE BORGIA, Mineral, MT

Built 1979 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 7,352

I 90

Fair

Over: INT W BILLINGS-U 1010

BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1994 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 17,079

I 94

Fair

Over: BIGHORN RIVER

0.6M W BIGHORN, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1978 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 2,580

SARPY BASIN RD

Fair

Over: E FORK SARPY CREEK 028

30M E HARDIN, Big Horn, MT

Built 1971 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

8 MILE RD

Fair

Over: MILK RIVER 078

5M SE ZURICH, Blaine, MT

Built 1930 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

N FORK RD

Fair

Over: PARADISE VALLEY CANAL037

5M SW ZURICH, Blaine, MT

Built 1933 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 28

WILLOW CREEK RD

Fair

Over: LITTLE BELT CREEK 003

14M E BELT, Cascade, MT

Built 1938 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 157

OLD US HWY 91

Fair

Over: MUDDY CREEK SLOUGH 111

ULM, Cascade, MT

Built 1923 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

N DENTON RD

Fair

Over: COFFEE CREEK 081

6M N DENTON, Fergus, MT

Built 1979 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

ROGERS LAKE RD

Fair

Over: ASHLEY CREEK 098

5M SE MARION, Flathead, MT

Built 1999 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

SPAULDING BR RD

Fair

Over: E GALLATIN RIVER 077

4M NE MANHATTAN, Gallatin, MT

Built 1997 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

GRAYLING CR RD

Fair

Over: GRAYLING CREEK 111

10M N WEST YELLOWSTONE, Gallatin, MT

Built 1977 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

ROAD 100 N

Fair

Over: SAGE CREEK 022

10M N HINGHAM, Hill, MT

Built 1977 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 81

SINCLAIR CREEK RD

Fair

Over: SINCLAIR CREEK 126

2M NE EUREKA, Lincoln, MT

Built 1977 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

BENCH RD

Fair

Over: GRANT CREEK 019

7M N MISSOULA, Missoula, MT

Built 1955 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

TURNER CUTACROSS R

Fair

Over: WOODY ISLAND COULEE 074

20M NW LORING, Phillips, MT

Built 1991 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 13

SKYVIEW RD S

Fair

Over: NO NAME 070

6M E DUPUYER, Pondera, MT

Built 1960 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

DRY GULCH RD

Fair

Over: N FORK BLACKFOOT R 007

5M E OVANDO, Powell, MT

Built 1968 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

OLD HWY 10 E

Fair

Over: O`FALLON CREEK 043

1M W FALLON, Prairie, MT

Built 1948 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 504

QUAST LN

Fair

Over: SURPRISE DITCH 060

1M N CORVALLIS, Ravalli, MT

Built 1918 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 527

COUNTY ROAD 1010

Fair

Over: EAST FORK SHOTGUN 056

9M N BAINVILLE, Roosevelt, MT

Built 1988 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

BELLVIEW RD

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK WILLOW CR 066

16M W CHOTEAU, Teton, MT

Built 1986 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

S 80TH ST W

Fair

Over: CANYON CREEK 030

BILLINGS-S 80TH ST W, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2001 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

PINEVIEW RD

Fair

Over: BUFFALO CREEK 129

25M N CUSTER, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1966 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 100

TOBACCO RD

Fair

Over: TOBACCO RIVER 144

SE EDGE EUREKA, Lincoln, MT

Built 1968 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 2,027

SECOND ST S-US 89

Fair

Over: YELLOWSTONE RIVER

GARDINER-SECOND ST S, Park, MT

Built 1930 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 4,728

US 12

Fair

Over: YELLOWSTONE RIVER

W EDGE FORSYTH, Rosebud, MT

Built 1958 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 718

S 59

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK

5M SE JORDAN, Garfield, MT

Built 1953 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 396

NO DATA ENTERED

Fair

Over: BIRCH CR

BIRCH CR, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1953 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 40

RUBY ROAD

Fair

Over: MIDDLE FK RUBY RIVE

M FK RUBY RIVER, Madison, MT

Built 1947 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 50

NFSR #275

Fair

Over: ROCK CREEK

5 MI NORTH OF CRYSTAL LK, Fergus, MT

Built 1954 Load: 16.5 t ADT: 50

Showing 251-300 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.