Historic Bridges in Montana
662 bridges built before 1951 in Montana still in service today.
Bridges Built Before 1951
The United States has 662 bridges in Montana built before 1951 that remain in active service. These structures are 75+ years old — many predate modern engineering codes and were not designed for today's traffic volumes and vehicle weights. The average design life of a bridge is 50 years, making these aging structures a significant infrastructure concern.
| Bridge | State | Condition | Year Built | Age (Years) | ADT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 368 |
| CLARK FORK RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 3,314 |
| SAWMILL CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 199 |
| REPUBLICAN DITCH 063 | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 3,100 |
| HEDGES CANAL 012 | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 1,713 |
| SKALKAHO CREEK 053 | Montana | Poor | 1941 | 85 | 1,713 |
| CANAL 058 | Montana | Poor | 1941 | 85 | 331 |
| DRAINAGE 052 | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 352 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 2,141 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 222 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 222 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 222 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Poor | 1941 | 85 | 222 |
| SHEEP CAMP CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 392 |
| SANDSTONE CREEK | Montana | Poor | 1941 | 85 | 2,209 |
| DRAINAGE-STOCKPASS | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 628 |
| S FORK AMERICAN FORK | Montana | Poor | 1941 | 85 | 706 |
| FISHTRAP CREEK | Montana | Good | 1941 | 85 | 485 |
| LAMARCHE CREEK | Montana | Good | 1941 | 85 | 485 |
| BIG WARM CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 395 |
| WILD HORSE CR OVERFLOW | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 395 |
| WILD HORSE CREEK | Montana | Poor | 1941 | 85 | 395 |
| RED COULEE | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 552 |
| MCDONALD CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 245 |
| PRICKLY PEAR CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 6,170 |
| THIRTY MILE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1941 | 85 | 106 |
| WILLOW CREEK 061 | Montana | Poor | 1942 | 84 | 100 |
| CLEAR CREEK 062 | Montana | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 100 |
| CLARK FK-RR 060 | Montana | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 140 |
| KOOTENAI RIVER-RR | Montana | Poor | 1942 | 84 | 2,104 |
| TWO MEDICINE IRR CANAL | Montana | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 2,130 |
| RED ROCK CREEK OVERFLOW | Montana | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 2,919 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 2,919 |
| LODGE CREEK | Montana | Poor | 1942 | 84 | 2,335 |
| ASH CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 581 |
| RATTLESNAKE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 628 |
| DRAINAGE-STOCKPASS | Montana | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 628 |
| WATER GULCH | Montana | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 1,173 |
| BOX ELDER CREEK | Montana | Poor | 1942 | 84 | 382 |
| BOX ELDER CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 382 |
| FISH CREEK | Montana | Poor | 1942 | 84 | 661 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 706 |
| AMERICAN FORK | Montana | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 706 |
| BOYD CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 2,831 |
| BOYD CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1942 | 84 | 1,295 |
| TETON RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1944 | 82 | 16 |
| CAUSEWAY-LAKE HELENA 072 | Montana | Fair | 1944 | 82 | 971 |
| CLARK FORK 045 | Montana | Fair | 1944 | 82 | 221 |
| POWDER RIVER 040 | Montana | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 507 |
| YELLOWSTONE RIVER 015 | Montana | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 100 |
About Historic Bridge Data
Bridges built before 1951 are classified as historic in this database. Many were designed to 1940s standards with lower load limits and narrower lanes. While FHWA requires regular inspections of all bridges regardless of age, older structures often require more frequent monitoring and rehabilitation investment.