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

N 17TH RD

Good

Over: ARROW CREEK 148

NE WORDEN, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1983 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 100

DEER MEADOW DR

Good

Over: TEN MILE CREEK 130

10M SW HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2006 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 100

ROCK CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: BIG HOLE RIVER 077

3M SW WISDOM, Beaverhead, MT

Built 2021 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 100

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: NO DATA ENTERED

NO DATA ENTERED, Beaverhead, MT

Built 2009 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 40

FDR #100

Good

Over: RUBY RIVER

JUST SOUTH OF VIGILANTE G, Madison, MT

Built 1999 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 50

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: THREE MILE CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Ravalli, MT

Built 2007 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 40

SYSTEM ROAD

Good

Over: FATTY CREEK

FATTY PIPER CONNECTOR, Lake, MT

Built 2013 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 40

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

BEAVER CREEK ROAD, Missoula, MT

Built 2015 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 40

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: WERNER CREEK

HALLOWAT CREEK ROAD, Flathead, MT

Built 2004 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 40

RD 6823

Good

Over: WOLF CR

JCT W/RD 36 MP 3.55, Lincoln, MT

Built 1990 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 40

NFSR 8841

Good

Over: NORTH FORK HIGHWOOD CR.

0.9 MILES E. OF RD.121, Chouteau, MT

Built 2007 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 40

I 90

Good

Over: PETERSON CREEK

5M W SPRINGDALE, Park, MT

Built 1987 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 5,692

FLAT CREEK RD

Good

Over: FLAT CREEK 017

5M NE BEAN LAKE, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2007 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 38

S 556-THOMPSON R R

Good

Over: BIG ROCK CREEK

35M SW MARION, Sanders, MT

Built 2009 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 55

FRONTAGE ROAD 315

Good

Over: DRAINAGE 086

6M E GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 2019 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 114

STAFFORD FERRY RD

Good

Over: TAFFY CREEK

7M N WINIFRED, Fergus, MT

Built 2020 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 167

US 2

Good

Over: RED ROCK EAST OVERFLOW

1M W CHINOOK, Blaine, MT

Built 2020 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 2,637

19TH AVE W

Good

Over: I-90

LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2020 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 100

US 87

Good

Over: DAWKINS BRANCH

5.271M E HOBSON, Judith Basin, MT

Built 2021 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 3,167

I 15

Good

Over: BEAVERHEAD RIVER

8M N CLARK CANYON DAM, Beaverhead, MT

Built 1965 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 2,210

I 15

Good

Over: INT S CASCADE

CASCADE, Cascade, MT

Built 1978 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 2,189

SOMERS STAGE RD

Good

Over: ASHLEY CREEK 002

4M SE KALISPELL, Flathead, MT

Built 2004 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 100

FLAT CREEK RD

Good

Over: FLAT CREEK 134

8M NE BEAN LAKE, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2006 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 38

STEMPLE PASS RD

Good

Over: POORMAN CREEK 147

9M S LINCOLN, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2004 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 95

STEMPLE PASS RD

Good

Over: POORMAN CREEK 148

10M S LINCOLN, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2004 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 95

FRANCES HEIGHTS RD

Good

Over: CANAL 033

4M SW VALIER, Pondera, MT

Built 2009 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 100

MOBLEY RD

Good

Over: MIZPAH CREEK 019

7M NE OLIVE, Powder River, MT

Built 2014 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 100

BEAVER CREEK RD

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK 008

11M N REDSTONE, Sheridan, MT

Built 1993 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 100

GERMAN GULCH RD

Good

Over: RR 012

W SILVERBOW, Silver Bow, MT

Built 2014 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 100

SOURDOUGH RD

Good

Over: SWEET GRASS CREEK 027

13M NE BIG TIMBER, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1997 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 100

OLD HWY 10

Good

Over: SARPY CREEK 014

5M E HYSHAM, Treasure, MT

Built 2015 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 218

DUCK CREEK RD

Good

Over: DUCK CREEK 021

SW BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1992 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 100

HILLBROOKE AVE

Good

Over: BIG DITCH 198

LAUREL-HILLBROOKE AVE, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2006 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 100

US 89

Good

Over: GREENFIELDS MAIN CANAL

1M SE FAIRFIELD, Teton, MT

Built 1983 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 1,787

IRR - S 200

Good

Over: MAGPIE CREEK

5M SE PERMA, Sanders, MT

Built 1986 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 1,943

US 93 FH 19

Good

Over: TIN CUP CREEK

1M S DARBY, Ravalli, MT

Built 1990 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 3,589

US 87

Good

Over: WEST FORK RAZOR CREEK

21M S KLEIN, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1995 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 2,497

S 43

Good

Over: FISHTRAP CREEK

16M NW WISE RIVER, Deer Lodge, MT

Built 1941 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 454

S 200

Good

Over: CALF CREEK

11M NE MOSBY, Garfield, MT

Built 1968 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 532

US 89 FH 32

Good

Over: BELT CREEK

1M N NEIHART, Cascade, MT

Built 1951 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 448

US 89 FH 32

Good

Over: BELT CREEK

3M N NEIHART, Cascade, MT

Built 1967 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 448

US 89 FH 32

Good

Over: BELT CREEK

7M S BELT, Cascade, MT

Built 1968 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 1,144

S 78

Good

Over: BUTCHER CREEK

2M S ABSAROKEE, Stillwater, MT

Built 2010 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 1,887

PENDROY RD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE

3M SW CONRAD, Pondera, MT

Built 2003 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 648

CHURCHILL RD

Good

Over: INT MANHATTAN-I 90

MANHATTAN, Gallatin, MT

Built 1964 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 1,877

S MUSSELSHELL RD

Good

Over: MUSSELSHELL RIVER

MUSSELSHELL, Musselshell, MT

Built 1960 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 156

S 547

Good

Over: WOLF CREEK

1M E DENTON, Fergus, MT

Built 1977 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 136

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: LITTLE WEST FORK CR

NO DATA ENTERED, Ravalli, MT

Built 1990 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 50

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: JIM CREEK

PECK LAKE ROAD, Lake, MT

Built 2016 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 50

NFSR 233

Good

Over: W FK BEAVER CREEK

BEAVER CREEK NO. 3, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1978 Load: 29.2 t ADT: 26

Showing 3,801-3,850 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.