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

PHEASANT BROOK DR

Good

Over: BIG DITCH

3M NE LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2003 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

7TH ST

Good

Over: USBR MAIN CANAL 093

SW EDGE FAIRVIEW 7TH ST, Richland, MT

Built 2019 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 017

Good

Over: CHARLIE CREEK 046

45M NW SIDNEY, Richland, MT

Built 2021 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

I 15

Good

Over: SEP NEUMAN SCH RD

2M N VAUGHN, Cascade, MT

Built 1972 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 2,000

I 90

Good

Over: LITTLE BLACKFOOT RIVER

1.2M S GARRISON, Powell, MT

Built 1979 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 5,165

IRR - I 90

Good

Over: LITTLE BIGHORN RIVER

8M S CROW AGENCY, Big Horn, MT

Built 1980 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 2,055

I 94

Good

Over: SARPY CREEK

18.6M E BIGHORN, Treasure, MT

Built 1967 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 2,489

LITTLE HORN RD

Good

Over: LITTLE BIGHORN RIVER 073

11M SW WYOLA, Big Horn, MT

Built 1996 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 243

N FORK RD

Good

Over: DEEP CREEK 008

10M E TOWNSEND, Broadwater, MT

Built 2015 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

LOMA BRIDGE RD

Good

Over: MISSOURI RIVER 002

1M SE LOMA, Chouteau, MT

Built 1991 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

MULLAN RD E

Good

Over: FLINT CREEK OVERFLOW 084

2M S DRUMMOND, Granite, MT

Built 1998 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

ECHO RD

Good

Over: ROSS FORK CREEK 017

10M N GARNEILL, Judith Basin, MT

Built 1993 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

LITTLE WOLF CR RD

Good

Over: WOLF CREEK 112

4M NW WOLF CREEK, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2010 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 128

FRONTAGE ROAD 241

Good

Over: LITTLE PRICKLY PEAR 059

WOLF CREEK, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1966 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 707

STEMPLE PASS RD

Good

Over: POORMAN CREEK 140

4M S LINCOLN, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2007 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 95

SPRING CREEK LN

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK 152

LINCOLN, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2010 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

BEAR CREEK LOOP

Good

Over: INDIAN CREEK 043

21M S ENNIS, Madison, MT

Built 2001 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 77

MELSTONE-CUSTER RD

Good

Over: MUSSELSHELL RIVER 017

1M SE MELSTONE, Musselshell, MT

Built 1992 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 115

COUNTY ROAD 001

Good

Over: E HARDSCRABBLE CREEK 040

33M NW SIDNEY, Richland, MT

Built 2007 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 127

Good

Over: USBR MAIN CANAL 053

2M N SIDNEY, Richland, MT

Built 2015 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 356

Good

Over: USBR MAIN CANAL 006

9M SW SAVAGE, Richland, MT

Built 1994 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 215

Good

Over: TETON RIVER 067

3M NW CHOTEAU, Teton, MT

Built 1976 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 100

BYAM RD

Good

Over: CLARKS FK YELLOWSTONE024

3M S LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1997 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 288

US 12

Good

Over: CARELESS CREEK

3M NE RYEGATE, Golden Valley, MT

Built 1988 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 1,905

US 12

Good

Over: DRAINAGE

8M NW FORSYTH, Rosebud, MT

Built 2012 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 226

S 21

Good

Over: RR

CONRAD, Pondera, MT

Built 1972 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 1,604

S 16

Good

Over: SHEEP CREEK

SOUTH EDGE FROID, Roosevelt, MT

Built 1970 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 879

IRR - S 13

Good

Over: NEGRO COULEE

5M S SCOBEY, Daniels, MT

Built 1988 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 312

US 191

Good

Over: BOX ELDER CR

8M NE ROY, Fergus, MT

Built 2002 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 624

S 81

Good

Over: WARM SPRING CREEK

12M SW HILGER, Fergus, MT

Built 2008 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 375

IRR - S 314

Good

Over: DAVIS CREEK

3M SW BUSBY, Big Horn, MT

Built 1983 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 386

WHITNEY CR RD

Good

Over: O`FALLON CREEK

ISMAY-WHITNEY CR RD, Custer, MT

Built 1990 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 38

MERIWETHER RD

Good

Over: CUT BANK CREEK

11M NE BLACKFOOT, Glacier, MT

Built 2002 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 156

IRR - S 451

Good

Over: LITTLE BIGHORN RIVER

3M S GARRYOWEN INT, Big Horn, MT

Built 1980 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 944

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: DOG CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Lake, MT

Built 2013 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 40

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: NORTH FORK LOST CREEK

NORTH LOST, Lake, MT

Built 2015 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 40

ROUTE 4106

Good

Over: KLONDIKE CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Powell, MT

Built 2013 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 40

4402 SOUTHSIDE RD.

Good

Over: STAR CREEK

JUST BEFORE JCT WITH 415, Lincoln, MT

Built 1976 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 50

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: ROCK CR

NO DATA ENTERED, Sanders, MT

Built 1959 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 50

MONTAQUA RD

Good

Over: ELBOW CREEK 048

3M SW EDGAR, Carbon, MT

Built 2007 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 100

NORTH FORK RD

Good

Over: TRAIL CREEK 050

13M NW POLEBRIDGE, Flathead, MT

Built 2010 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 59

BIRDSEYE RD

Good

Over: SEVEN MILE CREEK 034

6M NW HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2001 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 1,823

IRR BIA RTE 4

Good

Over: FOUR HORNS CANAL

8.1 KM N OF HEART BUTTE, Glacier, MT

Built 1972 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 500

4638: SCOTCHMAN GU

Good

Over: UPPER WILLOW CREEK

14 mi W of MT1/US10A, Granite, MT

Built 1980 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 25

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: NORTH FORK COLD CREEK

NORTH FORK COLD CREEK, Missoula, MT

Built 2012 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 40

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: EMERY CREEK

DESERT MTN TIE ROAD, Flathead, MT

Built 1983 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 10

BILLY GOAT ROAD

Good

Over: SMITH CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Park, MT

Built 2011 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 40

5857 FRENCH GARVER

Good

Over: W FK YAAK R.

.1 MILE FROM JCT W/276, Lincoln, MT

Built 1961 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 30

I 15

Good

Over: STICKNEY CREEK

2M N CRAIG, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1968 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 2,224

PARK RD

Good

Over: FIFTEEN MILE CREEK 020

1M N ZURICH, Blaine, MT

Built 1958 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 100

Showing 3,751-3,800 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.