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
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.