Sun Road repair work on schedule

The Daily Inter Lake

Repair work continues on schedule on the upper reaches of Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road.

The park is aiming for a complete opening of the 50-mile historic highway by July 1, weather permitting.

Visitors currently can drive 28 miles from the west entrance to the Big Bend area, just a few miles shy of Logan Pass. East of the pass, vehicles can travel 13.5 miles from St. Mary to the Jackson Glacier Overlook.

The alpine section of road between Big Bend and Jackson Glacier Overlook is closed to vehicles due to construction work aimed at repairing damage from a severe rain storm last November.

The most extensive damage is on a one-third mile stretch of road just below the East Tunnel. Repairs are also under way at three sites just west of Logan Pass.

Hikers and bikers can travel beyond the west-side closure at Big Bend to Rip Rap Point when construction crews are not working in the area. On the east side, hikers and bikers are not allowed beyond Jackson Glacier Overlook because of heavy truck traffic.