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

VALLEY FORGE RD

Good

Over: TEN MILE CREEK 126

HELENA-VALLEY FORGE RD, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

W BALSAM ST

Good

Over: FLOWER CREEK 003

SW EDGE LIBBY, Lincoln, MT

Built 1991 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

PROSPECT DR

Good

Over: GRANT CREEK 001

MISSOULA-PROSPECT DR, Missoula, MT

Built 1981 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

VINE ST

Good

Over: RATTLESNAKE CREEK 002

MISSOULA-VINE ST, Missoula, MT

Built 1945 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,144

S YELLOWSTONE ST

Good

Over: FLESHMAN CREEK 071

LIVINGSTON-SACAGAWEA PARK, Park, MT

Built 1939 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

11TH ST W

Good

Over: BBWA CANAL 047

BILLINGS-11TH ST W, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 100

S 32ND ST W

Good

Over: BBWA CANAL 115

2M SW BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2004 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,993

ARONSON AVE

Good

Over: ALKALI CREEK 202

BILLINGS-ARONSON AVE, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,054

INNER BELT LOOP

Good

Over: ALKALI CREEK 208

3M NW BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2014 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,171

VALLEY DR

Good

Over: BIG DITCH 111

LAUREL-VALLEY DR, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2008 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 931

US 2

Good

Over: SWAMP CREEK

24M NW HAPPYS INN, Lincoln, MT

Built 2013 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,597

US 93

Good

Over: WILDLIFE CROSSING

2M NE RONAN, Lake, MT

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,600

US 93

Good

Over: AGRICULTURAL CROSSING

2M N RONAN, Lake, MT

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 10,600

IRR - US 93

Good

Over: PABLO FEEDER CANAL

2M SE POLSON, Lake, MT

Built 2006 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 15,561

US 93

Good

Over: BIG CREEK

2M N VICTOR, Ravalli, MT

Built 2010 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 12,937

LYNDALE AVE-US 12

Good

Over: GREAT NORTHERN AREA

HELENA-LYNDALE AVE, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2003 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 20,843

US 287

Good

Over: FLAT CREEK

14M SE AUGUSTA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2007 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 426

IRR - US 87

Good

Over: BIG SANDY CREEK

3M N BIG SANDY, Chouteau, MT

Built 1990 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,559

US 287

Good

Over: HOT SPRINGS CREEK

NORRIS, Madison, MT

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,827

S 21-S MAIN ST

Good

Over: PONDERA COULEE

CONRAD BY FLEET SUPPLY, Pondera, MT

Built 1934 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,238

S 5

Good

Over: REDSTONE CREEK

2M SE REDSTONE, Sheridan, MT

Built 2011 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 508

S 5

Good

Over: MCCOY CREEK

3M W PLENTYWOOD, Sheridan, MT

Built 2001 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 585

S 200

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

2M W LINCOLN, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1993 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,066

S 200

Good

Over: KEEP COOL CREEK

2M W LINCOLN, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1993 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,066

US 87

Good

Over: STOCKPASS

3M E GEYSER, Judith Basin, MT

Built 1961 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 2,614

S 200

Good

Over: MCDONALD CREEK

4M NE GRASS RANGE, Fergus, MT

Built 1967 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 726

S 200S

Good

Over: DRAINAGE

9M SE LINDSAY, Dawson, MT

Built 1966 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 866

GREEN MEADOW DR

Good

Over: HELENA VALLEY CANAL

4M N HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2000 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,165

S 255

Good

Over: O`BRIEN COULEE

9M N RUDYARD, Hill, MT

Built 1992 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 87

S 255

Good

Over: SAGE CREEK

19M N RUDYARD, Hill, MT

Built 2004 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 87

EASTSIDE HWY

Good

Over: IRRIGATION CANAL

3M N CORVALLIS, Ravalli, MT

Built 1997 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 3,586

IRR - S 313

Good

Over: TWO LEGGIN CANAL

7M SW HARDIN, Big Horn, MT

Built 1991 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,049

S 325-ELLOAM RD

Good

Over: FORT BELKNAP CANAL

1M NE CHINOOK, Blaine, MT

Built 2012 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 213

MARSH RD

Good

Over: DRAINAGE

3M S GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1970 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 381

MARSH RD

Good

Over: SAND CREEK

5M S GLENDIVE, Dawson, MT

Built 1966 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 93

NYE RD-S 419

Good

Over: FISHTAIL CREEK

3M SW FISHTAIL, Stillwater, MT

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 1,055

IRR - S 480

Good

Over: LONG GRASS CREEK

20M N RICHEY, Richland, MT

Built 1984 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 22

BAKER AVE

Good

Over: RR

WHITEFISH-BAKER AVE, Flathead, MT

Built 1994 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 15,012

S 556-THOMPSON R R

Good

Over: THOMPSON RIVER

30M SW MARION, Sanders, MT

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 55

VIRGINIA LN

Good

Over: BBWA CANAL

BILLINGS-VIRGINIA LN, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1988 Load: 32.7 t ADT: 4,048

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: WEST FORK ROCK CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Carbon, MT

Built 2010 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 40

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: LOWER TWIN CREEK

CABLE CAR SLIDE AREA, Flathead, MT

Built 1965 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 120

NFSR

Good

Over: BATTERY CREEK

SOUTH FORK FLATHEAD, Flathead, MT

Built 2009 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 40

HYALITE ROAD

Good

Over: HYALITE CREEK

HYALITE CANYON, Gallatin, MT

Built 1988 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 99

WEAVER RD

Good

Over: PINKHAM CREEK

PINKHAM CREEK, Lincoln, MT

Built 1988 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 50

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: SHEEP CREEK

DEADMAN 1, Meagher, MT

Built 1993 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 40

RD 3822

Good

Over: BIG CREEK

W FK BIG CR, Mineral, MT

Built 2019 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 50

ASH CR RD E

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK 031

21M NE BAKER, Fallon, MT

Built 2003 Load: 33.2 t ADT: 100

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: BOULDER CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Ravalli, MT

Built 1979 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 20

NO DATA ENTERED

Good

Over: WEST FORK ROCK CREEK

NO DATA ENTERED, Carbon, MT

Built 2010 Load: 33.4 t ADT: 40

Showing 4,201-4,250 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.