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

COUNTY ROAD 801 NW

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK 047

2M W HAVRE, Hill, MT

Built 1991 Load: 23.9 t ADT: 57

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: QUINTONKON CREEK

ROAD 2806, Flathead, MT

Built 1989 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 5

RD 236

Good

Over: DEER CREEK

DEER CREEK, Mineral, MT

Built 1991 Load: 24.0 t ADT: 50

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: TRAPPER CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Ravalli, MT

Built 1979 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 5

NFSR 274

Good

Over: MUSSELSHELL RIVER

SPRING CREEK 1, Meagher, MT

Built 1996 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 40

BRANCH I 15-U.S. 8

Good

Over: RR

GREAT FALLS, Cascade, MT

Built 1946 Load: 24.3 t ADT: 6,196

N FORK RD

Good

Over: MILK RIVER 036

4M W ZURICH, Blaine, MT

Built 2018 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 28

W FAGIN ST

Good

Over: MOORES CREEK

W FAGIN ST - ENNIS, Madison, MT

Built 2017 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

W ARMITAGE ST

Good

Over: MOORES CREEK

W ARMITAGE ST - ENNIS, Madison, MT

Built 2017 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

KEARNEY LANE

Good

Over: MILL CREEK

E SHERIDAN, Madison, MT

Built 2015 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

IRR BIA RTE 13

Good

Over: ST MARY CANAL

32 KM NE OF BABB, Glacier, MT

Built 2002 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 10

IRR BIA ROUTE 1

Good

Over: MAIN CANAL

4.0 KM SE OF OSWEGO, Valley, MT

Built 1972 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,200

IRR BIA RTE 210

Good

Over: WEST FORK MUDDY CREEK

17.4 KM SW OF LAME DEER, Big Horn, MT

Built 1977 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 80

IRR BIA RTE 1114

Good

Over: JOCKO RIVER

14.5 KM EAST OF ARLEE, Lake, MT

Built 1996 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 75

MISSION CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: MISSION CREEK

9M SE LIVINSTON, Park, MT

Built 2019 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 24

RAIL RD

Good

Over: TWO LEGGINS CANAL

1M SW HARDIN, Big Horn, MT

Built 2021 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

EAST POST CREEK RD

Good

Over: POST CREEK 080

5 MI N OF ST IGNATIUS, Lake, MT

Built 2022 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

I 15

Good

Over: INT TRASK-LOWLAND RD

8M N BUTTE, Jefferson, MT

Built 1976 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,556

I 94

Good

Over: DICKIE ROAD

3.7M E BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1967 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 4,414

I 94

Good

Over: INT HYSHAM

14.9M E BIGHORN, Treasure, MT

Built 1976 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,489

I 94

Good

Over: SMITH CREEK-SEP CO RD

2M W FORSYTH, Rosebud, MT

Built 1967 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,138

PERITSA CREEK RD

Good

Over: TWO LEGGIN`S CANAL 048

1M W HARDIN, Big Horn, MT

Built 2014 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

NEW HOPE RD

Good

Over: SNAKE CREEK 043

8M W HARLEM, Blaine, MT

Built 1987 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

JOHNSON RD

Good

Over: SAND COULEE CREEK 076

2M N TRACY, Cascade, MT

Built 2002 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

PEERLESS RD

Good

Over: W FORK POPLAR RVER 033

6M S PEERLESS, Daniels, MT

Built 1992 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 55

BIRCH GROVE W

Good

Over: WHITEFISH RIVER 092

6M N KALISPELL, Flathead, MT

Built 1993 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

CLEAR CREEK RD SE

Good

Over: BULL HOOK DIVERSION 017

SE HAVRE, Hill, MT

Built 1984 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 942

SWAMP COULEE RD

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK 040

15M S HAVRE, Hill, MT

Built 1970 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

CANYON MILL RD

Good

Over: PABLO FEEDER CANAL 008

2M NW RONAN, Lake, MT

Built 2014 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

SALMON PRAIRIE RD

Good

Over: SWAN RIVER 091

22M S SWAN LAKE, Lake, MT

Built 1986 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

ELK CREEK RD

Good

Over: ELK CREEK 043

10M SW AUGUSTA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2010 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

S BOULDER RD

Good

Over: LWR S BOULDER RIVER 054

5M S JEFFERSON ISLAND, Madison, MT

Built 2008 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

NUMBER 4 RD

Good

Over: MUSSLESHELL RIVER 011

1M E ROUNDUP, Musselshell, MT

Built 1995 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

MILL CREEK RD

Good

Over: MILL CREEK 045

7M E EMIGRANT, Park, MT

Built 1972 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 102

13TH LN NE

Good

Over: MUDDY CREEK 010

2M SW POWER, Teton, MT

Built 2007 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

20TH RD NE

Good

Over: SEP I 15 001

4M N DUTTON, Teton, MT

Built 1977 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

24TH RD NE

Good

Over: INT COLLINS RD I 15 003

6M SE BRADY, Teton, MT

Built 1977 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 87

BRONKEN RD

Good

Over: INT BRONKEN RD I 15 003

5M N SHELBY, Toole, MT

Built 1964 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 100

S 56TH ST W

Good

Over: CANYON CREEK 073

W BILLINGS-S 56TH ST W, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1967 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 2,785

72ND ST W

Good

Over: CANYON CREEK 050

5M SW BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1959 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 4,244

US 93

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK

4M N DARBY, Ravalli, MT

Built 1990 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 4,502

US 93

Good

Over: N FORK BEAR CREEK

1M S VICTOR, Ravalli, MT

Built 2011 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 13,545

S 40

Good

Over: WHITEFISH RIVER

3M SE WHITEFISH, Flathead, MT

Built 1975 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 12,370

S 43

Good

Over: LAMARCHE CREEK

14M NW WISE RIVER, Deer Lodge, MT

Built 1941 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 454

S 201

Good

Over: REDWATER RIVER

17M NE VIDA, McCone, MT

Built 1957 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 39

IRR - S 313

Good

Over: TWO LEGGIN CANAL

5M S HARDIN, Big Horn, MT

Built 1989 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,049

OILMONT HWY

Good

Over: TRAIL CREEK

21M E OILMONT, Toole, MT

Built 1974 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 105

STILLWATER RIV RD

Good

Over: W FORK STILLWATER RIVER

1M N NYE, Stillwater, MT

Built 2003 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 721

STILLWATER RIV RD

Good

Over: W FORK STILLWATER RIVER

1M N NYE, Stillwater, MT

Built 2003 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 721

DUCK LAKE RD

Good

Over: SOUTH FORK MILK RIVER

16M NW BROWNING, Glacier, MT

Built 1987 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 897

Showing 3,501-3,550 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.