New suspension bridge over Kootenai opens

The new Kootenai River swinging bridge is open and busy with summer tourists streaming across the 220-foot span.

The bridge, which was described by one website as one of the “15 terrifying swinging bridges around the U.S. [that] will make your stomach drop,” is located off U.S. 2, between Libby and Troy. A 1-mile trail from a parking area leads to it, as well as the Kootenai Falls.

The old suspension bridge that provided passage to countless visitors was built in 1951 after a flood caused the original bridge, built by Civilian Conservation Corps workers in the 1930s, to fail.

The primary intent of the structure then was to provide access across the river for fighting forest fires. According to the U.S. Forest Service, rehabilitation projects were completed in 1968, 1993 and 2016.

Contractors working for the U.S. Forest Service and Kootenai National Forest began building the new bridge April 1. It is located about 15 feet upstream of the existing span.

Rob Malyevac, an engineer for the Forest Service who oversaw the $500,000 project, said the old bridge was scheduled to be removed last week.

Malyevac is pleased the new bridge is done, primarily because of safety.

“Yes, due to the safety concerns of the old bridge, it’s definitely good to have it done,” Malyevac said. “It’s been very busy since it was completed and there are just a few minor, cosmetic things that need done.”

Malyevac estimated that several hundred people have been across the new bridge each day since it opened.

According to a previous Daily Inter Lake story in April, an assessment of the old bridge led the Forest Service to conclude replacement made more sense than another upgrade for the existing span and the steel cables that have suspended it.

“Based on the age of the structure and some of the wear we were seeing on the cable, we just decided it was more practical and more economical to start from scratch,” Malyevac said.

Concerns about the old bridge’s weight-bearing capacity led the Forest Service to limit the number of people who could be on the bridge at one time to five.

The Forest Service described the existing bridge as a popular attraction and has reported usage has increased substantially over the years, peaking at more than 600 people per day who use the site during summer months.

Tourism has become increasingly important to the economies of Libby and Troy as the mining and timber industries have had their ups and downs over the last several years.

Myranda Cravens, general manager of the Libby Chamber of Commerce, previously said some locals worried that the design of a new bridge for the site could steal a measure of the span’s excitement.

Cravens said the swinging bridge, which is featured prominently on the websites for both the Libby Chamber of Commerce and the Troy Chamber of Commerce, “is one of our major attractions.”

Kirsten Kaiser is district ranger for the Kootenai National Forest’s Three Rivers Ranger District in Troy. She said the new bridge offers a host of benefits.

“This new structure will provide the public a bridge that responds to the increased use, current safety considerations, reduction in short-term and long-term maintenance, and will maintain the character of the area for visitors,” Kaiser said in a news release.

She added, “It is expected to provide the public with a quality outdoor recreation experience for the foreseeable future.”

The grand opening will be held at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13. The event will be held at the bridge.

The project’s lead contractor was Wesslen Construction of Spokane, which has experience building suspension bridges and working in remote locations, according to its website.

Helicopters were used to place equipment during the early phases of construction.

The Forest Service said the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes were consulted during project development because of the area’s cultural significance to the tribes.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.