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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLATWILLOW CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 208 |
| PIKE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1939 | 87 | 233 |
| PRICKELY PEAR CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 100 |
| BOULDER RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 157 |
| ST REGIS RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 50 |
| BIG HOLE RIVER 041 | Montana | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 158 |
| BATTLE CREEK 060 | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 59 |
| BIRD CREEK 036 | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 100 |
| IRRIGATION CANAL 048 | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 72 |
| BRIDGER CREEK 106 | Montana | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 100 |
| JUDITH RIVER 012 | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 100 |
| MCDONALD CREEK 003 | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 46 |
| TELEGRAPH CREEK 040 | Montana | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 100 |
| W BLACKTAIL CREEK 007 | Montana | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 100 |
| VALLEY CREEK 039 | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 100 |
| SAND COULEE 003 | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 147 |
| MILL CREEK 018 | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 147 |
| BULL MOUNTAIN CREEK 019 | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 147 |
| ROUGH COULEE 033 | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 147 |
| SPRING CREEK 035 | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 147 |
| RUSSELL CREEK 035 | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 480 |
| BIG SPRING CREEK 061 | Montana | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 100 |
| BIG SPRING CREEK 062 | Montana | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 100 |
| MCDONALD CREEK 015 | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 64 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 2,335 |
| IRRIGATION-STOCKPASS | Montana | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 2,335 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 2,141 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 2,141 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 2,141 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 2,141 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 2,141 |
| MILL COULEE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 1,437 |
| MILL COULEE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 1,437 |
| MILL COULEE CANAL | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 1,757 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 222 |
| HORSE CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 222 |
| ANDERSON CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 222 |
| BLACKFOOT RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 2,314 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 473 |
| FLASTED DRAW | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 392 |
| COLLINS CREEK | Montana | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 392 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 392 |
| ALDER CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 1,897 |
| RAMSHORN CREEK | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 1,897 |
| WILD HORSE CREEK | Montana | Poor | 1940 | 86 | 395 |
| HALFWAY COULEE | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 395 |
| BUCKLEY COULEE | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 399 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 208 |
| POPLAR RIVER | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 392 |
| DRAINAGE | Montana | Fair | 1940 | 86 | 368 |
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.