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

STEMPLE PASS ROAD

Good

Over: POORMAN CREEK

6M S LINCOLN, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2021 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 95

US 191

Good

Over: DAWKINS BRANCH

3M SW MOORE, Fergus, MT

Built 2021 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,094

PETROLEUM RD

Good

Over: BIG PORCUPINE CR

14M E INGOMAR, Rosebud, MT

Built 2022 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

GRELCK LN

Good

Over: BBWA CANAL

BILLINGS HEIGHTS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2022 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

BEATTY RD

Good

Over: SOUTH DRY CREEK

2M SE FOUR CORNERS, Gallatin, MT

Built 2022 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: CONDON CREEK

CONDON LOOP ROAD, Missoula, MT

Built 2010 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 40

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: GRIFFIN CREEK

GRIFFIN CREEK ROAD, Flathead, MT

Built 2001 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 50

STONY CREEK

Good

Over: STONY LAKE CREEK

STONY CREEK, Sanders, MT

Built 2015 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 50

I 15

Good

Over: SEP COUNTY ROAD

3M N ULM, Cascade, MT

Built 1969 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 3,053

I 90

Good

Over: INT SLOWAY

3.7M E ST. REGIS, Mineral, MT

Built 1978 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 3,513

I 90

Good

Over: SEP AIRWAY BLVD

AIRPORT INTERCHANGE, Missoula, MT

Built 1997 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 11,447

I 90

Good

Over: SEP AIRWAY BLVD

AIRPORT INTERCHANGE, Missoula, MT

Built 1997 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 11,447

I 90

Good

Over: SEP S-271

1.2M E DRUMMOND, Granite, MT

Built 1966 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 5,104

E RIVER ST

Good

Over: CLARKS FK YELLOWSTNE 053

N EDGE FROMBERG, Carbon, MT

Built 2008 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,098

COTTONWOOD CR RD

Good

Over: BOX ELDER CREEK 022

18M NE HAMMOND, Carter, MT

Built 2010 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

WILLOW CREEK RD

Good

Over: LITTLE BELT CREEK 100

12M E BELT, Cascade, MT

Built 1950 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 157

UPPER HIGHWOOD CR

Good

Over: HIGHWOOD CREEK 068

7M SE HIGHWOOD, Chouteau, MT

Built 2015 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 178

Good

Over: LITTLE BEAVER CREEK 055

12M NE WEBSTER, Fallon, MT

Built 2013 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

NORTH FORK RD

Good

Over: MOOSE CREEK 038

7M NW POLEBRIDGE, Flathead, MT

Built 1976 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 59

S PEAK RD

Good

Over: ARROW CREEK 038

6M NW GEYSER, Judith Basin, MT

Built 2009 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

LITTLE JOE CR RD

Good

Over: ST REGIS RIVER 027

1M W ST REGIS, Mineral, MT

Built 1965 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 57

SUNSET HILL RD

Good

Over: ELK CREEK 089

6M S CLEARWATER JCT, Missoula, MT

Built 1992 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

MIDWAY RD E

Good

Over: PONDERA COULEE 004

23M NE BRADY, Pondera, MT

Built 1987 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 59

MIDWAY RD W

Good

Over: NO NAME COULEE 028

3M SW CONRAD, Pondera, MT

Built 2012 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 96

COUNTY ROAD 213

Good

Over: SUN RIVER SLOPE CANAL071

3M S PISHKUN RESERVOIR, Teton, MT

Built 2016 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

CUT ACROSS RD

Good

Over: CHERRY CREEK 004

6M N GLASGOW, Valley, MT

Built 2012 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

TIERNEY LOOP DR

Good

Over: MUSSELSHELL RIVER 008

4M E HARLOWTON, Wheatland, MT

Built 1988 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 100

US 2

Good

Over: FISHER RIVER

2M W HAPPY`S INN, Lincoln, MT

Built 1997 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 1,363

US 2

Good

Over: LITTLE BOX ELDER CREEK

6M E HAVRE, Hill, MT

Built 2011 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 3,602

US 2

Good

Over: DRAINAGE

7M E HAVRE, Hill, MT

Built 2011 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 3,602

US 89

Good

Over: DUPUYER CREEK

DUPUYER, Pondera, MT

Built 1980 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 508

US 93

Good

Over: LOLO CREEK

LOLO, Missoula, MT

Built 1965 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 20,527

US 12

Good

Over: STOCKPASS-DRAINAGE

3M NE MUSSELSHELL, Musselshell, MT

Built 2003 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 358

US 12

Good

Over: GREASEWOOD CREEK

7M NW FORSYTH, Rosebud, MT

Built 2012 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 226

US 191

Good

Over: MUSSELSHELL RIVER

1M S HARLOWTON, Wheatland, MT

Built 1969 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 800

US 191 FH 42

Good

Over: TAYLOR FORK GALLATIN R

16M SE BIG SKY, Gallatin, MT

Built 1959 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,214

S 84

Good

Over: MADISON RIVER

7M NE NORRIS, Madison, MT

Built 1992 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,192

US 93 BYPASS

Good

Over: ASHLEY CREEK

SW KALISPELL, Flathead, MT

Built 2010 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 19,555

WEBSTER RD

Good

Over: LITTLE BEAVER CREEK

18M NE EKALAKA, Fallon, MT

Built 1978 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 26

S 327

Good

Over: DRAINAGE

14M SE BAINVILLE, Roosevelt, MT

Built 1999 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 273

OILMONT HWY

Good

Over: MINERS COULEE

16M E OILMONT, Toole, MT

Built 1974 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 105

CANYON FERRY RD

Good

Over: PRICKLY PEAR CREEK

1M E HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2001 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 10,679

MERIWETHER RD

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK

11M NE BLACKFOOT, Glacier, MT

Built 2002 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 156

S 512

Good

Over: FLINT CREEK

1M E HALL, Granite, MT

Built 1964 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 218

HILLTOP RD

Good

Over: LAKE ELMO DR

BILLINGS-HILLTOP RD, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1990 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 5,827

1ST AVE

Good

Over: BIG DITCH

LAUREL-1ST AVE, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1968 Load: 31.8 t ADT: 2,540

MELVILLE ROAD

Good

Over: SWEET GRASS CREEK

11 M NW MELVILLE, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 2023 Load: 32.1 t ADT: 100

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: CLEARWATER RIVER

NO DATA ENTERED, Missoula, MT

Built 2005 Load: 32.1 t ADT: 50

COTTONWOOD CR RD

Good

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK 027

7M SW LEWISTOWN, Fergus, MT

Built 2012 Load: 32.1 t ADT: 45

JUDITH RIVER RD

Good

Over: JUDITH RIVER 015

N HOBSON, Judith Basin, MT

Built 2014 Load: 32.1 t ADT: 69

Showing 4,001-4,050 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.