Whale Creek Road over Whale Creek
Flathead County, Montana · rated Poor in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Whale Creek Road over Whale Creek in Flathead County, Montana, is rated in poor condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the substructure, rated 4 (poor condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1954, making it 71 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 10 vehicles a day (traffic count year 1992).
- It is one of 9 of the 204 inventoried bridges in Flathead County rated poor (4.4%); 9 (4.4%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- Its condition class and component ratings are unchanged from the 2024 inventory.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated August 2023, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- A poor rating means at least one major component - deck, superstructure, or substructure - is rated 4 or lower on FHWA's 0-9 scale. It does not by itself mean the bridge is unsafe; bridges judged unsafe are closed or load-restricted by their owners.
View this bridge on a map → (48.85117, -114.59582)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 5 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 4 | 4 | Poor condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel stringer or multi-beam girder |
| Length | about 61 ft |
| Location | 1 Mi SW Ninko Cabin |
| NBI structure number | 011007000000048 |
| Condition class | Poor |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | August 2023 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 5: foundations stable, scour within the limits of the footing or piles |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Montana department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Flathead County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 93 over Stillwater River | 1996 | 25,919 | Fair |
| N00109 over US 2 | 2016 | 22,752 | Good |
| Irr - US 2 over Flathead River | 1977 | 22,220 | Fair |
| US 93 Alternate over Foys Lake Road | 2021 | 19,966 | Good |
| US 93 Bypass over Ashley Creek | 2010 | 19,966 | Good |
| P00109 over Old Reserve Drive | 2016 | 19,964 | Good |
All bridges nearby: Flathead County, MT bridge conditions · every bridge in Flathead County · Montana bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.