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

IRR BIA RTE 30

Good

Over: BOX ELDER CREEK

8.4 KM NW OF ROCKY BOYS, Chouteau, MT

Built 2012 Load: 50.0 t ADT: 200

I 90

Good

Over: DEER CREEK ROAD

1.9M W BONNER, Missoula, MT

Built 1964 Load: 50.8 t ADT: 9,994

US 93

Good

Over: WILDLIFE UNDERPASS

10M N WYE INT, Missoula, MT

Built 2009 Load: 50.8 t ADT: 8,184

US 12

Good

Over: TEN MILE CREEK

5M W HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1988 Load: 50.8 t ADT: 4,915

S 200

Good

Over: WILDLIFE CROSSING

6M NE LINCOLN, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2014 Load: 50.8 t ADT: 1,761

S 200

Good

Over: WILDLIFE CROSSING

9M NE LINCOLN, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2014 Load: 50.8 t ADT: 1,761

US 87

Good

Over: OTTER CREEK

5M SE BELT, Cascade, MT

Built 1959 Load: 50.8 t ADT: 1,078

E HIGHWOOD RD

Good

Over: LITTLE BELT CREEK 004

3M E BELT, Cascade, MT

Built 1971 Load: 51.2 t ADT: 100

N MONTANA AVE

Good

Over: TEN MILE CREEK

2M N HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2004 Load: 51.2 t ADT: 11,526

ROAD 50 N

Good

Over: SAGE CREEK 025

8M NW GILFORD, Hill, MT

Built 2017 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 100

DRY FORK RD

Good

Over: PENNEL CREEK 023

9M NW PLEVNA, Fallon, MT

Built 2016 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 100

US 2

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

3M E DODSON, Phillips, MT

Built 2008 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 1,189

S 484

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

30M SE ASHLAND, Powder River, MT

Built 1999 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 20

I 15

Good

Over: INT S CASCADE

CASCADE, Cascade, MT

Built 1961 Load: 52.6 t ADT: 2,162

US 93

Good

Over: WILDLIFE UPASS-RELIEF

1M N RAVALLI, Lake, MT

Built 2006 Load: 52.6 t ADT: 6,822

OLD YELLOWSTONE TR

Good

Over: ROCK CREEK

18 M NW GARDINER, Park, MT

Built 2018 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 100

JEWETT LN

Good

Over: IRRIGATION CANAL 008

NW WILLOW CREEK, Jefferson, MT

Built 2021 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 100

GLACIER INSTITUTE

Good

Over: MCDONALD CREEK

Approximately 1.2 miles n, Flathead, MT

Built 2000 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 75

I 15

Good

Over: TEN MILE CREEK

4M N HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1962 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 6,190

I 15

Good

Over: TEN MILE CREEK

4M N HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1962 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 6,190

I 90

Good

Over: HARVEY CREEK

3M E BEARMOUTH INT, Granite, MT

Built 1970 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 11,980

S 80

Good

Over: DRAINAGE

11M SE FORT BENTON, Chouteau, MT

Built 1995 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 361

BAGAN RD

Good

Over: CORRAL COULEE 063

22M N CHINOOK, Blaine, MT

Built 2013 Load: 54.4 t ADT: 83

AG LANE

Good

Over: SANDSTONE CREEK 056

1M W BAKER, Fallon, MT

Built 2014 Load: 54.4 t ADT: 100

OLD MILL LOOP

Good

Over: RR 056

ST REGIS, Mineral, MT

Built 1999 Load: 54.4 t ADT: 100

VERMILION RIV RD

Good

Over: CANYON CREEK 104

4M E TROUT CREEK, Sanders, MT

Built 1961 Load: 54.4 t ADT: 100

US 89

Good

Over: MATCHETT COULEE

1M SE DUPUYER, Pondera, MT

Built 2006 Load: 54.4 t ADT: 485

RD 257

Good

Over: PLEASANT VALLEY FISHER

MP 3.2 ON 257/LARSON RES, Lincoln, MT

Built 1979 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 40

WINTERS LANE

Good

Over: SUPPLY DITCH 065

2M S STEVENSVILLE, Ravalli, MT

Built 1994 Load: 55.3 t ADT: 120

N LAST CHANCE GULC

Good

Over: RR

HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 2003 Load: 55.3 t ADT: 18,187

MERIDIAN RD

Good

Over: SWEATHOUSE CREEK 099

VICTOR-MERIDIAN RD, Ravalli, MT

Built 1973 Load: 55.8 t ADT: 100

I 15

Good

Over: INT N CASCADE

CASCADE, Cascade, MT

Built 1961 Load: 56.2 t ADT: 2,424

US 93

Good

Over: WILDLIFE UNDERPASS

11M N WYE INT, Missoula, MT

Built 2009 Load: 56.2 t ADT: 8,184

US 87

Good

Over: OTTER CREEK

RAYNESFORD, Judith Basin, MT

Built 1961 Load: 56.2 t ADT: 2,774

I 15

Good

Over: SEP SIERRA RD E

4M N HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1962 Load: 57.2 t ADT: 6,190

I 15

Good

Over: SEP SIERRA RD E

4M N HELENA, Lewis and Clark, MT

Built 1962 Load: 57.2 t ADT: 6,190

I 90

Good

Over: RATTLER GULCH

4.1M W DRUMMOND, Granite, MT

Built 1971 Load: 57.2 t ADT: 11,980

STAFFORD FERRY RD

Good

Over: CUTBANK CREEK 011

5M N WINIFRED, Fergus, MT

Built 2018 Load: 58.1 t ADT: 167

IRR BIA RTE 166

Good

Over: REVIAS CREEK

3.0 KM SOUTH OF HWY 200, Sanders, MT

Built 2014 Load: 58.1 t ADT: 30

US 87

Good

Over: OTTER CREEK

2M W RAYNESFORD, Judith Basin, MT

Built 1961 Load: 58.1 t ADT: 2,774

US 87

Good

Over: OTTER CREEK

1M W RAYNESFORD, Judith Basin, MT

Built 1961 Load: 58.1 t ADT: 2,774

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: SOLDIER CREEK

SOLDIER CR, Flathead, MT

Built 1992 Load: 59.0 t ADT: 80

BARNEY OLSEN RD

Good

Over: PEOPLE`S CREEK 105

6M NE CLEVELAND, Blaine, MT

Built 2015 Load: 59.0 t ADT: 42

EWING RD

Good

Over: LITTLE BELT CREEK 098

4M N BELT, Cascade, MT

Built 1973 Load: 59.0 t ADT: 100

US 87

Good

Over: OTTER CREEK

1M SE RAYNESFORD, Judith Basin, MT

Built 1964 Load: 59.0 t ADT: 2,242

6127 CONN-MULE RD.

Good

Over: 17 MILE CR

.1 FROM JCT 471, Lincoln, MT

Built 1993 Load: 60.3 t ADT: 10

JACK CREEK RD

Good

Over: JACK CREEK 029

8M E ENNIS, Madison, MT

Built 2011 Load: 60.3 t ADT: 175

JACK CREEK RD

Good

Over: JACK CREEK 030

7M E ENNIS, Madison, MT

Built 2011 Load: 60.9 t ADT: 175

US 2

Good

Over: MILLER CREEK

14M W HAPPY`S INN, Lincoln, MT

Built 1988 Load: 61.0 t ADT: 1,480

FOREST ROAD

Good

Over: ELK CREEK

ELK CREEK ROAD, Missoula, MT

Built 1981 Load: 61.2 t ADT: 10

Showing 4,751-4,800 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.