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

FISH HATCHERY RD

Good

Over: SKALKAHO CREEK 042

2M SE GRANTSDALE, Ravalli, MT

Built 2009 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

S SUNSET BENCH RD

Good

Over: IRRIGATION CANAL 018

7M NE VICTOR, Ravalli, MT

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

SLEEPING CHILD RD

Good

Over: SLEEPING CHILD CREEK 073

9M NE DARBY, Ravalli, MT

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 347

COUNTY ROAD 012

Good

Over: WEST CHARLIE CREEK 085

47M NW FAIRVIEW, Richland, MT

Built 1993 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 037

Good

Over: DRAINAGE 032

8M NE LAMBERT, Richland, MT

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 131

Good

Over: USBR MAIN CANAL 080

3M SW FAIRVIEW, Richland, MT

Built 1998 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 326

Good

Over: FOX CREEK 009

5M SW SIDNEY, Richland, MT

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 69

COUNTY ROAD 502

Good

Over: CRANE CREEK 007

12M W CRANE, Richland, MT

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 249

Good

Over: SHEEP CREEK 061

4M NW FROID, Roosevelt, MT

Built 1999 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

THREE CORNERS RD

Good

Over: SMOKE CREEK 024

30M N POPLAR, Roosevelt, MT

Built 2016 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

PINE BUTTE DRIVE

Good

Over: ARMELLS CREEK 077

2M N COLSTRIP, Rosebud, MT

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 505

ELK CREEK RD

Good

Over: ELK CREEK 050

4M S HERON, Sanders, MT

Built 2001 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

LOWER RIVER RD

Good

Over: ELK CREEK 100

1M E HERON, Sanders, MT

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 65

KLAKKEN RD

Good

Over: PILGRIM CREEK 053

E NOXON, Sanders, MT

Built 1972 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 170

WINCHESTER RD

Good

Over: ELK CREEK 057

2M S HERON, Sanders, MT

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

WILKES CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: PROSPECT CREEK 006

3M SW THOMPSON FALLS, Sanders, MT

Built 1978 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

THOMPSON R PASS RD

Good

Over: THOMPSON RIVER 062

23M N PLAINS, Sanders, MT

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 40

SANDHILLS RD

Good

Over: SAND CREEK 057

15M E MEDICINE LAKE, Sheridan, MT

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

LAKE CREEK RD

Good

Over: LAKE CREEK 078

20M E PLENTYWOOD, Sheridan, MT

Built 1983 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

LOST CREEK RD

Good

Over: LOST CREEK 050

2M S HOMESTEAD, Sheridan, MT

Built 1991 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

VALLEY CREEK RD

Good

Over: VALLEY CREEK 009

6M NW PARK CITY, Stillwater, MT

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

COUNTRYMAN CR RD

Good

Over: COUNTRYMAN CREEK 050

6M SW COLUMBUS, Stillwater, MT

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

W FORK RD

Good

Over: LIMESTONE CREEK 051

3M NW NYE, Stillwater, MT

Built 2004 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

W ROSEBUD RD

Good

Over: W ROSEBUD CREEK 033

12M SW ABSAROKEE, Stillwater, MT

Built 2004 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

E BOULDER RD

Good

Over: BOULDER RIVER 030

2M S MCLEOD, Sweet Grass, MT

Built 2002 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

3RD RD NE

Good

Over: NO NAME DITCH 012

10M NE FAIRFIELD, Teton, MT

Built 1995 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

DEEP CREEK RD

Good

Over: DEEP CREEK 065

27M SW CHOTEAU, Teton, MT

Built 1976 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

FUHRMAN RD

Good

Over: MIDDLE FK PORCUPINE 020

17M S OPHEIM, Valley, MT

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

RED BRIDGE RD

Good

Over: MUSSELSHELL RIVER 016

2M SE HARLOWTON, Wheatland, MT

Built 1977 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

RED BRIDGE RD

Good

Over: AMERICAN FORK CREEK 015

6M SE HARLOWTON, Wheatland, MT

Built 1993 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

N 15TH RD

Good

Over: NO NAME 149

1M N WORDEN, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2004 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

N 17TH RD

Good

Over: ARROW CREEK 147

2M NE WORDEN, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2002 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

PRYOR RD

Good

Over: PRYOR CREEK 009

13M S BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 760

PRYOR RD

Good

Over: 4TH OF JULY CREEK 013

20M S BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2001 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 592

BRIARWOOD BLVD

Good

Over: BLUE CR-GOLF PATH 121

3M SE BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1979 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

S 64TH ST W

Good

Over: CANYON CREEK 048

8M NE LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1967 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 876

S 48TH ST W

Good

Over: CANYON CREEK 106

2M SW BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,146

S 48TH ST W

Good

Over: BBWA CANAL 107

7M NE LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,146

CANYON CREEK RD

Good

Over: CANYON CREEK 185

9M NW LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

BENEDICT GULCH RD

Good

Over: COVE DITCH 046

5M W LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1996 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 67

N HART RD

Good

Over: BIG DITCH 065

4M W LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

S LAUREL RD

Good

Over: BBWA CANAL 028

3M E LAUREL, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2002 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

ALEXANDER RD

Good

Over: BBWA CANAL 077

5M N BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1998 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

HOMER DAVIS RD

Good

Over: BBWA CANAL 095

6M SW SHEPHERD, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

SCANDIA RD

Good

Over: RAZOR CREEK 092

3M NE SHEPHERD, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

12 MILE ROAD

Good

Over: 12 MILE CREEK 197

3M SW SHEPHERD, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

OLD HWY 312

Good

Over: BBWA CANAL 166

4M NE BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2005 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 11,193

E RIGGS ST

Good

Over: PRICKLY PEAR CREEK 083

EAST HELENA-E RIGGS ST, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1982 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 314

MCHUGH LN

Good

Over: HELENA VALLEY CANAL 086

2M N HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,882

COUNTRY CLUB AVE

Good

Over: TEN MILE CREEK 113

3M W HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,975

Showing 4,151-4,200 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.