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.

Clear
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.