Off-System Bridge Study logo

Project Overview

Bridge Location: Petroleum County
Bridge Location: Petroleum County

In Montana, the paths that get us from here to there are more than just roads and bridges. They are the lifeblood and backbone to our statewide economy, commerce, transportation, and recreation. That is why the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) continues to seek innovative and efficient ways to maintain and protect Montana’s highways and bridges through the Off-System Bridge Prioritization Program.

What makes a bridge “Off-System” vs. “On-System?” An Off-System bridge is one maintained and funded by local agencies, typically the city or county, rather than MDT. Although these structures aren’t owned and maintained by MDT, MDT recognizes the importance of these bridges and the opportunity to partner with local officials to ensure they are routinely inspected, maintained, and updated when needed.

There are more than 1,900 Off-System bridges in Montana, and many have served their useful service life and are in disrepair or load posted, which can greatly impact local and regional economies and our ability to easily move around.

Financial resources are limited, and the need for bridge replacement and repair far exceeds the available funding. Accordingly, determining priorities and investing funds where they are most needed is an important goal of this program.

Strategic Implementation

In 2022, MDT and its partners at HDR and Stahly Engineering developed a strategic implementation plan to address future bridge repair and replacement needs for bridge owners (i.e. county governments).

MDT collaborated with each of the respective counties and verified their interest in having qualified bridges replaced. Strategic objectives included:

  • Identify potential quick fixes for load posted bridges and bridges in poor condition. This allows some bridges to remain in service until they are permanently repaired or replaced.
  • Determine a list of prioritized bridges and future candidate projects for Off-System bridge owners to implement.
  • Identify funding opportunities for owners to partner with MDT to support bridge repair or replacement projects.
  • Engage and inform the public, counties, and other stakeholders throughout the process.

MDT and its consultants compiled a database of recommended bridge repair and replacement projects, prioritized by criteria such as:

  • Load posted or closed bridges.
  • Top bridge priorities for each county.
  • High priority bridges based on their physical condition and service deficiencies.

This framework is serving as a roadmap for prioritizing and implementing future bridge repair and replacement projects.

County Collaboration and Outreach

Pugsley Bridge, located in Liberty County.
Pugsley Bridge, located in Liberty County.

MDT values its partnership with the Montana Association of Counties (MACo) to support county bridge priorities. Leveraging Senate Bill (SB) 536 funds, the Off-System Bridge Strike Team (comprised of MDT and MACo) has allocated nearly all of the $80 million of available SB 536 funding to the repair and replacement of Off-System bridges.

The Strike Team, along with critical input from all 56 counties, has approved 26 bridges for replacement through county-led efforts using SB 536 funds. These selections were directly tied to bridge closures and load-postings, and the need to react quickly. An additional 24 bridges have been selected for replacement through MDT-led efforts, all of which are top priority bridges for the counties. This strategy allows Montana to leverage federal funding for future bridge work.

The collaborative partnership between the counties, MACo, and MDT is key to the Off-System Bridge Prioritization Program’s continued success.

Montana Association of Counties logo

Next Steps

MDT continues to support the Off-System Bridge Prioritization Program by:

  • Advancing the MDT-led bridge replacements through design and construction. These bridge replacement projects may be developed by consultants, MDT staff, or bundled through alternative contracting.
  • Working with counties to execute agreements for each bridge replacement.
  • Partnering with counties during project development to provide cost-effective and efficient solutions to maximize every dollar available.

This program will continue to:

  • Establish priorities for Off-System bridge repairs and replacements.
  • Review load restricted or closed bridges to determine if a temporary repair is feasible and warranted.
  • Work with counties to reach agreements on repairs that meet present and future funding opportunities.
  • Engage the counties and solicit input from stakeholders.

Interactive Map

An interactive online map was developed to assist bridge owners and others with locating and understanding the condition of Off-System bridges throughout Montana. The public is encouraged to utilize this interactive map, which can be found at the MDT Off System Bridges Public Dashboard.

Stay Informed, Stay Involved

In addition to stakeholder meetings, the project team will communicate with the public using direct mail, social media, traditional media, and website updates, among other tools.

New project information will be posted on this website as it becomes available, but you can request to be added to our mailing list or submit a comment electronically. To send us your U.S. mail or email address or to submit a comment, you may utilize MDT’s Online Comment Form. Please note that your comments are for the Off-System Bridge Prioritization Program, UPN 10115. Thank you!

UPN 10115