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 15

Good

Over: INT KEVIN HWY

KEVIN, Toole, MT

Built 1980 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,010

I 90

Good

Over: SEP YOUNGS POINT ROAD

4.3M W PARK CITY, Stillwater, MT

Built 1970 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 5,470

I 94

Good

Over: ARMELLS CR-RR

6M W FORSYTH, Rosebud, MT

Built 1967 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 2,138

LITTLE MISSOURI RD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE 010

11M SW CAPITOL, Carter, MT

Built 2013 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 42

COUNTY ROAD 319

Good

Over: USBR MAIN CANAL 071

INTAKE, Dawson, MT

Built 1991 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 31

WYLIE DR

Good

Over: PRICKLY PEAR CREEK 080

1M N EAST HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1958 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 4,312

STEMPLE PASS RD

Good

Over: POORMAN CREEK 153

3M S LINCOLN, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2009 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 299

CHERRY CREEK RD

Good

Over: CHERRY CREEK 052

9M NE NORRIS, Madison, MT

Built 2009 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

UPHAM GULCH RD

Good

Over: CEDAR CREEK 051

4M S SUPERIOR, Mineral, MT

Built 2005 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 313

GROVE CREEK RD

Good

Over: FISHTAIL CREEK 038

1M NW FISHTAIL, Stillwater, MT

Built 2004 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

STILLWATER RIV RD

Good

Over: STILLWATER RIVER 026

10M SW ABSAROKEE, Stillwater, MT

Built 2009 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 100

IRR - S 200

Good

Over: REVAIS CREEK

3M W DIXON, Sanders, MT

Built 1989 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 1,943

SOLLID RD

Good

Over: PONDERA COULEE

1M E CONRAD, Pondera, MT

Built 1971 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 569

DIAMOND MATCH RD

Good

Over: CEDAR CREEK

1M SE SUPERIOR, Mineral, MT

Built 1955 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 703

MERIWETHER RD

Good

Over: COBELLE COULEE

13M NE BLACKFOOT, Glacier, MT

Built 1959 Load: 22.7 t ADT: 156

IRR BIA RTE 8

Good

Over: PRYOR CREEK

1.7 KM WEST OF PRYOR, Big Horn, MT

Built 1997 Load: 23.0 t ADT: 100

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: WOUNDED BUCK CREEK

WOUNDED BUCK CREEK, Flathead, MT

Built 2009 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 40

NFSR

Good

Over: LOGAN CREEK

TALLY LAKE CAMPGROUND, Flathead, MT

Built 2011 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 40

SHIELDS RIVER ROAD

Good

Over: SHIELDS RIVER

SHIELDS - N. CRAZIES, Park, MT

Built 1976 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 50

GLENGARY RD

Good

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK 022

1M N GLENGARRY, Fergus, MT

Built 2013 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 31

S 88TH ST W

Good

Over: CANYON CREEK

6M W BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1975 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 780

CORINNE TRAIL

Good

Over: HORSE PRAIRE CREEK 042

3M E GRANT, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1951 Load: 23.5 t ADT: 100

BLAINE ST

Good

Over: SAND COULEE CREEK 087

TRACY, Cascade, MT

Built 1950 Load: 23.5 t ADT: 100

W STEFFENS ST

Good

Over: MOORES CREEK

W STEFFENS ST - ENNIS, Madison, MT

Built 2017 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 144

Good

Over: DOG CREEK

5M S WINIFRED, Fergus, MT

Built 2022 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 100

I 90

Good

Over: JARRETT CR FARM ACCESS

3.1M E SPRINGDALE, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1981 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 6,078

VANZANDT RD

Good

Over: TWO LEGGIN`S CANAL 047

1M W HARDIN, Big Horn, MT

Built 1994 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 44

8 MILE RD

Good

Over: HARLEM CANAL 077

5M SE ZURICH, Blaine, MT

Built 2004 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 100

FRONTAGE ROAD 146

Good

Over: DRAINAGE 032

3M S WARM SPRINGS, Deer Lodge, MT

Built 1931 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 100

JUDITH RIVER RD

Good

Over: JUDITH RIVER 012

10M W WINIFRED, Fergus, MT

Built 2001 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 13

ROSE CROSSING

Good

Over: WHITEFISH RIVER 091

2M NW EVERGREEN, Flathead, MT

Built 1995 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 100

NORTH FORK RD

Good

Over: TEPEE CREEK 010

8M NW POLEBRIDGE, Flathead, MT

Built 2009 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 59

JUDY LN

Good

Over: RUBY RIVER 025

2M S ALDER, Madison, MT

Built 2009 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 100

MIDWAY RD E

Good

Over: S PONDERA COULEE 002

12M NE BRADY, Pondera, MT

Built 1960 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 59

ANITA DAM RD

Good

Over: FLY CREEK 138

4M SW POMPEY`S PILLAR, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2015 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 3

US 93

Good

Over: SWEATHOUSE CREEK

VICTOR, Ravalli, MT

Built 2010 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 13,545

S 44

Good

Over: DUPUYER CREEK

4M W VALIER, Pondera, MT

Built 2003 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 962

S 203-EASTSIDE HWY

Good

Over: BITTERROOT RIVER

1M E FLORENCE, Ravalli, MT

Built 2014 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 10,617

S 220

Good

Over: JONES CREEK

13M N CHOTEAU, Teton, MT

Built 1981 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 383

MILLEGAN RD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE-STOCKPASS

14M S ULM, Cascade, MT

Built 2000 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 292

MILLEGAN RD

Good

Over: SMITH RIVER

15M SE ULM, Cascade, MT

Built 1962 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 292

DEER CREEK RD

Good

Over: CLARK FORK RIVER 11

2M E MISSOULA, Missoula, MT

Built 1975 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 1,442

BUCK BRIDGE RD

Good

Over: TETON RIVER

5M N CARTER, Chouteau, MT

Built 1981 Load: 23.6 t ADT: 98

COUNTY ROAD

Good

Over: COLD CREEK

COLD CREEK ROAD, Missoula, MT

Built 2012 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 40

COPPER CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: COPPER CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2005 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 169

ROUTE 471

Good

Over: SEVENTEEN MILE CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Lincoln, MT

Built 2012 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 40

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: BURNT CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Lincoln, MT

Built 2012 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 40

MAXVILLE RD

Good

Over: BOULDER CREEK 014

1M S MAXVILLE, Granite, MT

Built 2012 Load: 23.7 t ADT: 100

INSIDE NORTH FORK

Good

Over: CAMAS CREEK

2 Mi. N. of Jct. Hwy. 2 &, Flathead, MT

Built 1983 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 50

RACE HORSE GULCH R

Good

Over: CAMAS CREEK 016

E PERMA, Sanders, MT

Built 1992 Load: 23.8 t ADT: 100

Showing 3,451-3,500 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.