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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YAAK RIVER 039 | Montana | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 22 |
| RR 046 | Montana | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 507 |
| BERGMAN SLOUGH 019 | Montana | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 457 |
| PRICKLY PEAR CREEK 009 | Montana | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 2,580 |
| YAAK RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 2,093 |
| ROCK CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 4,561 |
| SOUTH WILLOW CREEK | Montana | Poor | 1934 | 92 | 4,102 |
| PONDERA COULEE | Montana | Good | 1934 | 92 | 1,245 |
| FISH CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 407 |
| LITTLE PIPESTONE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 473 |
| WOLF CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 244 |
| USRS CANAL | Montana | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 1,024 |
| N FORK WHITETAIL CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1934 | 92 | 24 |
| GALLATIN RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 99 |
| W F THOMPSON RIV | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 50 |
| CEDAR CR | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 50 |
| SNYDER CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 1,230 |
| AVALANCHE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 1,230 |
| SNYDER CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 100 |
| LEE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 246 |
| HAYSTACK CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 1,942 |
| BELT CREEK 002 | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 100 |
| SWIFT CREEK 072 | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 100 |
| ELK CREEK 119 | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 260 |
| DRY CREEK 122 | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 260 |
| BITTERROOT RIVER 010 | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 3,627 |
| SKALKAHO CR OVERFLOW 040 | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 474 |
| CARTERSVILLE CANAL 030 | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 100 |
| BROWN CREEK 013 | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 1,617 |
| BIG DITCH 005 | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 100 |
| MISSOURI RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 6,843 |
| TWIN COULEE | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 448 |
| TWIN COULEE | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 448 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 448 |
| DEAN CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 441 |
| ALKALI CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 200 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 233 |
| BRACKETT CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 404 |
| CEDAR CREEK | Montana | Poor | 1935 | 91 | 404 |
| DRAINAGE OVERFLOW | Montana | Fair | 1935 | 91 | 74 |
| LOLO CR | Montana | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 50 |
| BR MAIN CANAL 038 | Montana | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 100 |
| BEAR CREEK 015 | Montana | Poor | 1936 | 90 | 100 |
| RESERVATION CREEK 043 | Montana | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 273 |
| SPRING CREEK 035 | Montana | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 344 |
| MARIAS RIVER 001 | Montana | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 511 |
| BIG DITCH 109 | Montana | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 125 |
| SWAMP CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 100 |
| RR | Montana | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 5,606 |
| SUN RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1936 | 90 | 538 |
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.