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

2-LANE ROAD

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Carbon, MT

Built 1970 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 50

RD 231

Good

Over: LIBBY CR

BOLYARDS, Lincoln, MT

Built 1998 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 50

NFSR 233

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK

LITTLE WILLOW CREEK, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2004 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 26

LAUREL AIRPORT RD

Good

Over: RR 045

3M NE LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2017 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 876

ANDREWS ROAD

Good

Over: DOG CREEK

2M N CHRISTINA, Fergus, MT

Built 2019 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 100

I 15

Good

Over: INT DIVIDE-HWY 43

DIVIDE, Silver Bow, MT

Built 1976 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 2,436

TUTTLE LN

Good

Over: E ROSEBUD CREEK 003

3.7M NE ROSCOE, Carbon, MT

Built 2009 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 100

LITTLE MISSOURI RD

Good

Over: SAND CREEK 015

2M N CAPITOL, Carter, MT

Built 2015 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 42

LOWREY RD

Good

Over: FORT SHAW CANAL 061

5M NW SIMMS, Cascade, MT

Built 2001 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 100

DALBERG SIDING RD

Good

Over: TOBACCO RIVER 134

3M NW FORTINE, Lincoln, MT

Built 1993 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 266

DOVETAIL VALENTINE

Good

Over: BOX ELDER CREEK 007

6M N WINNETT, Petroleum, MT

Built 1982 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 100

FALLON TOWER RD

Good

Over: SEP I 94 003

2M NE FALLON, Prairie, MT

Built 1977 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 100

E I RD

Good

Over: HUNTLEY MAIN CANAL 144

2M NE BALLANTINE, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2004 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 100

12 MILE RD

Good

Over: CROOKED CREEK 089

4M NW SHEPHERD, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2010 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 100

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: E F BITTERROOT

NO DATA ENTERED, Ravalli, MT

Built 1947 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 10

S 4TH RD

Good

Over: HUNTLEY MAIN CANAL 146

1M NE HUNTLEY, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1986 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 79

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: NORTH FORK SPRING FLOW

WURTZ FLATS, Flathead, MT

Built 1997 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 5

RD 6212

Good

Over: POORMAN CREEK

LITTLE CHERRY LOOP, Lincoln, MT

Built 1998 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 40

KLOCK RD

Good

Over: CASTNER COULEE 096

CASTNER FALLS, Cascade, MT

Built 1938 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 100

JOCKO CANYON RD

Good

Over: JOCKO RIVER 013

9M E ARLEE, Lake, MT

Built 1930 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 100

RIMINI RD

Good

Over: TEN MILE CREEK 101

11M W HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2015 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 230

GRANITE CREEK RD

Good

Over: BIG CHERRY CREEK 119

5M SW LIBBY, Lincoln, MT

Built 1977 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 263

BIG PORCUPINE RD

Good

Over: BIG PORCUPINE CREEK 011

8M N VANANDA, Rosebud, MT

Built 2006 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 12

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: COTTONWOOD CR

NO DATA ENTERED, Madison, MT

Built 2003 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 10

NFSR

Good

Over: PONY CREEK

CONDON AREA, Lake, MT

Built 2008 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 40

REUM RD

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK 028

14M S HAVRE, Hill, MT

Built 2003 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 100

BREEZE WAY ROAD

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK 016

2M S WILLOW CREEK, Gallatin, MT

Built 2019 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 985

SPORTSMAN PARK RD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE

5M SW LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2019 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 100

US HWY 12

Good

Over: MUSSELSHELL RIVER

2M NE MELSTONE, Rosebud, MT

Built 2019 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 240

I 15

Good

Over: INT DIVIDE-HWY 43

DIVIDE, Silver Bow, MT

Built 1976 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 2,436

I 94

Good

Over: SARPY CREEK

18.6M E BIGHORN, Treasure, MT

Built 1976 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 2,067

7TH LN

Good

Over: MILL COULEE CANAL 093

7M E FAIRFIELD, Cascade, MT

Built 1950 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 100

OLD ULM CASCADE RD

Good

Over: SEP I 15

6M NE CASCADE, Cascade, MT

Built 1977 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 100

EMIGRANT GAP RD

Good

Over: ST MARY CANAL 046

35M N BROWNING, Glacier, MT

Built 1991 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 960

BUFFALO BRIDGE RD

Good

Over: FLATHEAD RIVER 084

10M W POLSON, Lake, MT

Built 1993 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 100

SKYLINE DR

Good

Over: PABLO 3A CANAL 038

4M S POLSON, Lake, MT

Built 2013 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 100

CALIFORNIA AVE

Good

Over: KOOTENAI RIVER

LIBBY-CALIFORNIA AVE, Lincoln, MT

Built 1959 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 5,568

US 87

Good

Over: ROSS FORK CREEK

3M E HOBSON, Judith Basin, MT

Built 1971 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 3,167

S 556-THOMPSON R R

Good

Over: MCGREGOR CREEK

18M SW MARION, Flathead, MT

Built 1992 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 60

BENCH BLVD

Good

Over: ALKALI CREEK

BILLINGS-BENCH BLVD, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2011 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 12,241

MILL CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

S. OF LIVINGSTON, Park, MT

Built 1971 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 99

COUNTY ROAD 332

Good

Over: BEEF SLOUGH 095

3M S SAVAGE, Richland, MT

Built 1991 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 100

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Carbon, MT

Built 2010 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 40

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: KRAFT CREEK

KRAFT CREEK ROAD, Missoula, MT

Built 2004 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 40

331 RABBIT/OBRIEN

Good

Over: OBRIEN CR

JUST BEFORE JCT WITH 752, Lincoln, MT

Built 1979 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 20

TIMBERLANE RD

Good

Over: N CROW CREEK 002

3M SE RONAN, Lake, MT

Built 2017 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 134

Good

Over: USBR MAIN CANAL 070

1M SW FAIRVIEW, Richland, MT

Built 2016 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

NFSR

Good

Over: CAT CREEK

CONDON AREA, Lake, MT

Built 2008 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 40

NFSR 233

Good

Over: W FK BEAVER CREEK

BEAVER CREEK NO. 2, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1978 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 26

I 15

Good

Over: BEAVERHEAD RIVER

5M N CLARK CANYON DAM, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1980 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 2,836

Showing 3,401-3,450 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.