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

GOOCH HILL ROAD

Good

Over: HYALITE CREEK 050

5M S BOZEMAN, Gallatin, MT

Built 2016 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

S BARBER RD

Good

Over: MUSSELSHELL RIVER 023

BARBER-S BARBER RD, Golden Valley, MT

Built 1983 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 49

KOOTENAI RIVER RD

Good

Over: QUARTZ CREEK 037

6M NW LIBBY, Lincoln, MT

Built 1987 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 456

BOY SCOUT RD

Good

Over: CLEARWATER RIVER 083

4M NW SEELEY LAKE, Missoula, MT

Built 1964 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

AIRPORT RD

Good

Over: MORRELL CREEK 092

1M E SEELEY LAKE, Missoula, MT

Built 2009 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

MESSENGER RD

Good

Over: DRY FK MARIAS RIVER 073

2M S WILLIAMS, Pondera, MT

Built 1988 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 12

PREPUTIN RD

Good

Over: PONDERA COULEE 011

16M NE BRADY, Pondera, MT

Built 1960 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

VERMILION RIV RD

Good

Over: LYONS CREEK 032

7M E TROUT CREEK, Sanders, MT

Built 1900 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

CENTENNIAL RD

Good

Over: KEYSER CREEK 043

NW EDGE COLUMBUS, Stillwater, MT

Built 2005 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

LOWER SWEET GRASS

Good

Over: SWEET GRASS CREEK 039

10M E BIG TIMBER, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 1965 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

TETON CANYON RD

Good

Over: BYNUM RESEVOIR CANAL 002

15M W CHOTEAU, Teton, MT

Built 1982 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 154

JELLISON RD

Good

Over: BLUE CREEK 127

2M SE BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1993 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 100

US 2

Good

Over: N FORK WILLOW CREEK

1M SW GALATA, Toole, MT

Built 1989 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 899

US 12

Good

Over: BENSLEY CREEK

6M E MILES CITY, Custer, MT

Built 1999 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 643

US 89

Good

Over: GREENFIELDS SOUTH CANAL

5M E FAIRFIELD, Cascade, MT

Built 1960 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,747

US 89

Good

Over: DUPUYER CREEK OVERFLOW

1M N DUPUYER, Pondera, MT

Built 1968 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 508

US 93

Good

Over: CORVALLIS CANAL

1M N HAMILTON, Ravalli, MT

Built 1980 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 18,360

US 87-ROUNDUP RD

Good

Over: BBWA CANAL

3M N BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1977 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5,986

US 87

Good

Over: MUSSELSHELL RIVER

ROUNDUP, Musselshell, MT

Built 1996 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,677

S 200

Good

Over: ALICE CREEK

9M NE LINCOLN, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2014 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,761

S 200

Good

Over: MILL COULEE CREEK

1M NE SUN RIVER, Cascade, MT

Built 1996 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 2,418

S 23

Good

Over: BENNIE PEER CREEK

7M SE SIDNEY, Richland, MT

Built 1986 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 696

S 200

Good

Over: L-S CREEK

14M E JORDAN, Garfield, MT

Built 2016 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 469

US 89 FH 32

Good

Over: BELT CREEK

6M S BELT, Cascade, MT

Built 1968 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 702

US 87

Good

Over: SOUTH WILLOW CREEK

7M N ROUNDUP, Musselshell, MT

Built 1976 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 1,155

IRR - S 212

Good

Over: JOCKO RIVER

1M E DIXON, Sanders, MT

Built 1949 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 917

S 396-SAVOY RD

Good

Over: SAVOY CREEK

2M SE SAVOY, Blaine, MT

Built 1990 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 5

IRR - S 451

Good

Over: PASS CREEK

3M S WYOLA, Big Horn, MT

Built 1949 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 297

S 522 (36-31)

Good

Over: PRYOR CREEK

1M S HUNTLEY, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2011 Load: 30.8 t ADT: 4,306

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: NORTH FORK COLD CREEK

NORTH FORK COLD CREEK, Missoula, MT

Built 2012 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 40

NFSR 233

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

BEAVER CREEK NO. 6, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1978 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 26

RD 7618

Good

Over: WILKES CREEK

WILKES CREEK, Sanders, MT

Built 1973 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 50

RD 889

Good

Over: WARD CR

WARD CR, Mineral, MT

Built 1968 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 50

HWY 463

Good

Over: ROTTEN GRASS CREEK 008

15M SW LODGE GRASS, Big Horn, MT

Built 1966 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 72

CARROLL TRAIL

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK 138

5M S GLENGARRY, Fergus, MT

Built 2013 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 31

LOWER SWEET GRASS

Good

Over: E FK SWEET GRASS CR 01

14M NE BIG TIMBER, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 2012 Load: 31.1 t ADT: 15

S 200

Good

Over: LITTLE DRY CREEK

26 M E JORDAN, Garfield, MT

Built 2022 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 544

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: CANYON CREEK

RD 38 @ CANYON CR, Flathead, MT

Built 2010 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 40

NFSR 144

Good

Over: NORTH FORK TETON RIVER

W FK STATION, Teton, MT

Built 1977 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 65

MORRELL CREEK RD

Good

Over: MORRELL CREEK

MORRELL CR, Powell, MT

Built 2015 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 50

SANDROCK RD

Good

Over: WARM SPRINGS CREEK 077

4M NE DANVERS, Fergus, MT

Built 2010 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 100

TIMBERLINE RD

Good

Over: BIG SPRING CREEK 134

4M SE LEWISTOWN, Fergus, MT

Built 2012 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 100

BOBTAIL CUTOFF RD

Good

Over: PIPE CREEK 027

6M NW LIBBY, Lincoln, MT

Built 1950 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 186

HORSE RANCH RD

Good

Over: BOX ELDER CREEK 120

NW FERGUS, Fergus, MT

Built 1962 Load: 31.7 t ADT: 100

I 90

Good

Over: BLACKFOOT RIVER

0.6M W BONNER, Missoula, MT

Built 2018 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 6,035

COUNTY HWY

Good

Over: SOUTH BEAR CREEK

3.5M SW VICTOR, Ravalli, MT

Built 2017 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

LITENING BARN ROAD

Good

Over: DEEP CREEK

5 MI SE TOWNSEND, Broadwater, MT

Built 2017 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

BBP

Good

Over: YELLOWSTONE RIVER

1M NW LOCKWOOD, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2022 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

I 90

Good

Over: BLACK FOOT RIVER

0.6 M WEST BONNER, Missoula, MT

Built 2019 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 6,035

UPPER HIGHWOOD CR

Good

Over: HIGHWOOD CREEK 039

4M SE HIGHWOOD, Chouteau, MT

Built 2020 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

Showing 3,951-4,000 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.