Glacier road to be repaved

Glacier National Park officials have announced plans to repave about 14.5 miles of Going-to-the-Sun Road from Apgar to the Avalanche Campground this month.

“Much of this stretch of road is in poor condition, and Federal Highway Administration and National Park Service engineers determined the overlay is needed as soon as possible to help prevent further deterioration and preserve the road until it is reconstructed later as part of the multiyear Sun Road rehabilitation project,” a park press release states.

The work is scheduled for Monday, May 17, through Saturday, June 5, weather conditions permitting.

A one-and-a-half inch overlay of asphalt will be applied to the road, with efforts made to mitigate impacts on visitors, who should expect 15- to 30-minute delay along the work zone.

To maximize visitor access during the three-day Memorial Day weekend, no work will take place between May 29 and May 31. Work will end at 5 p.m. to accommodate vehicle traffic to Lake McDonald for the annual Spring for Glacier event.

The section of road was last resurfaced in 1991.

According to park superintendent Chas Cartwright, “The overlay is a temporary fix until the road is again reconstructed as part of the ongoing Going-to-the-Sun Road rehabilitation project. That work is anticipated, depending on a number of variables including funding, in 2015-2016.”

The project will cost $1 million to $3 million and is being completed by HK Contractors Inc.