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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HARDSCRABBLE CREEK 041 | Montana | Poor | 1945 | 81 | 100 |
| BEAVERHEAD RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 612 |
| STILLWATER RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1945 | 81 | 598 |
| LOLO CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 50 |
| RR | Montana | Good | 1946 | 80 | 6,326 |
| BEAVERHEAD RIVER 033 | Montana | Poor | 1946 | 80 | 2,676 |
| BIG HORN CANAL 009 | Montana | Poor | 1946 | 80 | 63 |
| RR 001 | Montana | Fair | 1946 | 80 | 525 |
| MINER CR | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 50 |
| MIDDLE FK RUBY RIVE | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 50 |
| BURNT CR | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 50 |
| W FK MADISON RIVER | Montana | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 50 |
| DALY CR | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 45 |
| E F BITTERROOT | Montana | Good | 1947 | 79 | 10 |
| E F BITTERROOT | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 50 |
| BOULDER RIVER | Montana | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 1 |
| NINEMILE SLIDE 026 | Montana | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 141 |
| LITTLE POWDER RIVER 028 | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 107 |
| E FORK BITTERROOT R 009 | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 309 |
| SEVEN MILE CREEK 168 | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 7,544 |
| TWELVE MILE CREEK 169 | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 4,005 |
| MUGGINS CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 241 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 222 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 222 |
| DRY WASH | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 222 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 222 |
| BLACKFOOT RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 3,932 |
| RYE CREEK | Montana | Poor | 1947 | 79 | 661 |
| SWEET GRASS CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 661 |
| CAYUSE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 661 |
| BBWA CANAL | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 6,888 |
| LITTLE WARM CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 395 |
| S FORK WAYNE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 61 |
| WAYNE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 61 |
| E FORK WAYNE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 61 |
| N FORK WAYNE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 61 |
| W SAVOY CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 61 |
| CEDAR CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 368 |
| NEVADA CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1947 | 79 | 308 |
| STORMCASTLE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 50 |
| O`FALLON CREEK 043 | Montana | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 507 |
| FIFTEEN MILE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,943 |
| FORK OF BEAVER CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 395 |
| MADISON RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 1,501 |
| YELLOW WATER CR-ELK CR | Montana | Poor | 1948 | 78 | 233 |
| W FK POPLAR RV OVERFLOW | Montana | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 194 |
| W FORK POPLAR RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 194 |
| W FK POPLAR RV OVERFLOW | Montana | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 194 |
| MARTIN COULEE | Montana | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 194 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1948 | 78 | 145 |
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.