Bigfork bridge on track for 2024 replacement

The Montana Department of Transportation is targeting 2024 to replace the historic bridge near Bigfork's downtown.

Last week, the state held two open houses to go over preliminary plans to replace the aging bridge, which spans the Swan River. It's expected the current bridge will be completely removed and a new bridge, built to resemble the historic structure, will take its place.

Built in 1912, the bridge was predicted to become unusable during a 2015 analysis.

The state is looking to build a new bridge that will accommodate traffic going forward while continuing to honor the long legacy of the existing structure.

"We are going to do everything in our power to keep this bridge as similar to the original as possible," said Amy Aiello of Big Sky Public Relations, which is representing the project.

The new bridge is expected to keep the old bridge's truss style, with only one lane of travel.

Attendees at the open house on Thursday asked the project team to consider maintaining elements of the old bridge, such as outlets for Christmas lights and a small platform to jump off.

There will be changes, however, to make the new bridge compliant and capable of carrying larger vehicles, particularly emergency vehicles. It's possible the new bridge will be longer than the current structure, but the width isn't expected to grow.

The bridge will be completely removed during the summer construction season of 2024. It's estimated the stretch will be closed for construction for four to six weeks, but it won't take more than a single construction season to complete.

While the new bridge is under construction, motorized traffic and pedestrians will have to use an alternate route.

However, the exact timeline of the project has yet to be determined. The Department of Transportation is in the process of selecting a design for the new bridge. There also are site constraints with contaminated soil around the bridge and nearby utilities.

Federal funding will pay for most of the new bridge, though the state hasn't announced a total cost yet.

"As much as we love the existing bridge, it is structurally unsound," Aiello said. "Without the reconstruction, the bridge would simply become obsolete."

Reporter Bret Anne Serbin may be reached at 406-758-4459 or bserbin@dailyinterlake.com.