Sundance Bench Rd over Madison River 046
Madison County, Montana · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- Sundance Bench Rd over Madison River 046 in Madison County, Montana, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the deck, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1902 and reconstructed in 2005, making it 123 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 100 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2025).
- Its listed owner is the county highway agency.
- It is one of 57 of the 98 inventoried bridges in Madison County rated fair (58.2%); 7 (7.1%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is posted for load (NBI item 41).
- Its class is unchanged from 2024 (fair), but component ratings moved: deck 7 to 5.
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated June 2024, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- It has fracture-critical members (NBI item 92A): steel tension members without a redundant load path, which get their own scheduled inspections.
- A fair rating means the lowest-rated major component scores 5 or 6 on FHWA's 0-9 scale: some deterioration or minor section loss, but the structure is sound. It is the middle class, not a warning.
View this bridge on a map → (44.8887, -111.58061)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 7 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Superstructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel through truss |
| Length | about 300 ft |
| Location | 31M S Ennis |
| NBI structure number | L29220000+01001 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Posted for load |
| Last inspection (item 90) | June 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 5: foundations stable, scour within the limits of the footing or piles |
| Fracture critical (item 92A) | Yes |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Montana department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Madison County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 287 over O`dell Creek | 2001 | 4,500 | Fair |
| US 287 over Madison River Overflow | 2001 | 4,500 | Good |
| US 287 over Madison River Overflow | 2001 | 4,500 | Good |
| US 287 over Madison River Overflow | 2001 | 4,500 | Good |
| US 287 over Madison River | 2001 | 4,500 | Fair |
| US 287 over South Willow Creek | 1934 | 4,102 | Poor |
All bridges nearby: Madison County, MT bridge conditions · every bridge in Madison County · Montana bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.