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

S 72

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

BELFRY, Carbon, MT

Built 2013 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 1,722

S 78

Good

Over: JOE HILL CREEK

4M SW COLUMBUS, Stillwater, MT

Built 2007 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 2,305

IRR - S 213

Good

Over: ROCKY COULEE

5M NW SANTA RITA, Glacier, MT

Built 2011 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 159

SODA CR TR-REPUBLI

Good

Over: WOODY CREEK

COOKE CITY, Park, MT

Built 2022 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 100

SHIELDS RIVER RD

Good

Over: SHIELDS RIVER

NORTH CRAZIES, Meagher, MT

Built 2016 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 50

KOOCANUSA W. SIDE

Good

Over: BIG CREEK

BIG CREEK, Lincoln, MT

Built 1970 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 40

IRRS 234

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

11M S HAVRE, Hill, MT

Built 2002 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 563

IRRS 234

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

18M S HAVRE, Hill, MT

Built 2003 Load: 35.7 t ADT: 563

IRR BIA RTE 110

Good

Over: NORTH FORK WHITETAIL CRK

4 KM WEST OF HEART BUTTE, Pondera, MT

Built 1979 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 30

1127: DRY FORK

Good

Over: DRY FORK CREEK

19 mi SE of US 191, Phillips, MT

Built 1979 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 25

FDR 2469

Good

Over: NO DATA ENTERED

SEYMOUR CR., Deer Lodge, MT

Built 1994 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 20

W FK THOMPSON RD

Good

Over: HONEYMOON CR

THOMPSON-FISHTRAP, Sanders, MT

Built 2007 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 40

S DIVISION LN

Good

Over: GREENFIELD CANAL 058

1M S FAIRFIELD, Teton, MT

Built 1978 Load: 36.0 t ADT: 100

I 15

Good

Over: LOCAL-RARUS RR

1.2M W BUTTE, Silver Bow, MT

Built 2018 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 6,807

I 15

Good

Over: SEP BOULDER AVE-RR

HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2017 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 11,699

RED LODGE CR RD

Good

Over: RED LODGE CREEK 011

9M NE ROSCOE, Carbon, MT

Built 2017 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

E PRYOR RD

Good

Over: FIVE MILE CREEK 057

3M E EDGAR, Carbon, MT

Built 2016 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 411

RUBY RIVER DR

Good

Over: RUBY RIVER 024

LAURIN, Madison, MT

Built 2017 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 79

S 249-VARNEY RD

Good

Over: BLAINE SPRING CREEK

8M S ENNIS, Madison, MT

Built 2016 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 441

FOUR MILE DRIVE

Good

Over: P00109-US93 KALISPELL BY

KALISPELL, Flathead, MT

Built 2016 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 2,051

WILLOW ROAD

Good

Over: RACETRACK CREEK

7M SW DEERLODGE, Powell, MT

Built 2015 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 74

ELK CREEK RD

Good

Over: ELK CREEK 044

12M SE AUGUSTA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2020 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

ELK CREEK RD

Good

Over: ELK CREEK 045

13M SW AUGUSTA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2020 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

ELK CREEK RD

Good

Over: ELK CREEK 046

13M SW AUGUSTA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2021 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

I 90

Good

Over: YELLOWSTONE RIVER

BILLINGS, Yellowstone, MT

Built 2022 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 14,315

591 ZERO/SPREAD RD

Good

Over: HELLROARING CREEK

JUST PAST JCT WITH 745, Lincoln, MT

Built 2001 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 40

ROCK CREEK ROAD

Good

Over: COUGAR CREEK

T08N R17W S07, Granite, MT

Built 2008 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 40

I 90

Good

Over: CAMP CREEK

1.9M E MANHATTAN, Gallatin, MT

Built 1965 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 9,601

I 90

Good

Over: INT REED POINT

REED POINT, Stillwater, MT

Built 1963 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 5,353

I 94

Good

Over: INT WACO-CO ROAD

11.2M W CUSTER, Yellowstone, MT

Built 1973 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 2,385

SKINNER MEADOWS RD

Good

Over: GOVERNOR CREEK 130

3M SW JACKSON, Beaverhead, MT

Built 2010 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

NISSEN LANE

Good

Over: DILLON CANAL 129

3M NE DILLON, Beaverhead, MT

Built 2010 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

CARRIGAN LANE

Good

Over: CANYON DITCH 127

8M S DILLON, Beaverhead, MT

Built 2011 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

MANCHESTER RD S

Good

Over: SUN RIVER 055

MANCHESTER, Cascade, MT

Built 2001 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 203

TRAIL CREEK RD

Good

Over: MASON CREEK 059

49M E MILES CITY, Custer, MT

Built 2016 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

GAS CITY RD

Good

Over: CLARK FORK RIVER 019

1M E WARM SPRINGS, Deer Lodge, MT

Built 2011 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

CRACKERVILLE RD

Good

Over: SILVERBOW CREEK 002

4M S OPPORTUNITY, Deer Lodge, MT

Built 2014 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 515

WOLF CREEK DR

Good

Over: WOLF CREEK 009

5M NE BIG FORK, Flathead, MT

Built 2001 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

IRRCOUNTY ROAD 227

Good

Over: ST MARY CANAL 058

NE BABB, Glacier, MT

Built 1986 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

LIL BITTERROOT RD

Good

Over: LITTLE BITTERROOT R 063

7M E HOT SPRINGS, Lake, MT

Built 2013 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

MURPHY LN

Good

Over: IRRIGATION CANAL 003

E EMIGRANT, Park, MT

Built 2003 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 1,444

SAWMILL RD

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK 047

GARRISON, Powell, MT

Built 2006 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

CABIN CREEK RD

Good

Over: CABIN CREEK 008

13M NE MILDRED, Prairie, MT

Built 2012 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

COUNTY ROAD 321

Good

Over: CHARLEY CREEK 015

53M NW SIDNEY, Richland, MT

Built 1998 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 100

S ARCHER RD

Good

Over: BIG MUDDY CREEK 016

7M SE REDSTONE, Sheridan, MT

Built 2004 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 17

US 2

Good

Over: ASHLEY CREEK

6M SW KALISPELL, Flathead, MT

Built 2014 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 7,046

US 93

Good

Over: WILDLIFE CROSSING

9M N WYE INT, Missoula, MT

Built 2009 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 8,184

US 93

Good

Over: WILDLIFE UPASS-SCHLEY CR

12M N WYE INT, Missoula, MT

Built 2009 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 8,184

IRR - US 93

Good

Over: JOCKO RIVER

ARLEE, Lake, MT

Built 2005 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 8,330

S 200-JORDAN AVE

Good

Over: BIG DRY CREEK

SOUTH EDGE JORDAN, Garfield, MT

Built 1993 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 1,084

Showing 4,401-4,450 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.