Bigfork residents, businesses raise concerns about closure of unsafe bridge

Bigfork is no closer to a solution for the closing of the downtown Bridge Street Bridge despite a meeting between Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, Montana Department of Transportation officials, Flathead County representatives, and Bigfork residents and business owners Friday.

The state Department of Transportation closed the Bridge Street Bridge to vehicle and pedestrian traffic due to structural concerns Jan. 31 after its most recent inspection determined the bridge can no longer reliably carry traffic.

“We did not take this matter lightly,” said Dustin Rouse, chief engineer with the state transportation agency. “This [is] not an easy decision for us any time we have to do this. This bridge was built in 1912 and is continuing to deteriorate. For public safety, we had to shut it down. We need to keep traffic and pedestrians off of it,” 

“Our concern is not one person walking across the bridge,” Rouse added. “Our concern is if you get 30 or 100 people on there. That is a risk. It is not rated to hold that kind of load.”

Designed with a 75-year expected lifetime, the bridge has long outlived the builder’s estimations, but the clock appears to have finally run out on the historic structure.

    Flathead County Public Works Director Dave Prunty, (left) along with county engineer Bethany Kappes (middle) and Montana Department of Transportation chief engineer Dustin Rouse meet with Bigfork citizens concerned about the closing of the Bridge Street bridge Friday, Fab. 2, 2024. (Jeremy Weber/Bigfork Eagle)
  

In April 2017, Flathead County commissioners approved a plan to rebuild the bridge while maintaining its historic design and one-lane structure while also increasing its carrying capacity. The new design includes a sidewalk that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act, but construction is not expected to begin until 2026, at the earliest.

“There’s not a whole lot we can do because of the deterioration. We are going to evaluate and see if there are any quick fixes, but I wouldn’t build any hope or expectations because it is an old bridge. Unfortunately, when they get to this point, there is not a whole lot we can do,” said Dwane Kailey, chief operating officer of the state Department of Transportation. “We are going to do everything we can to expedite the building of the new bridge and get it into place as soon as we can, but that is going to take some time.”

For Zinke and his Bigfork constituents, a solution to the problem cannot come fast enough.

“Summer is going to be rough without this. It’s going to be a disaster. You can’t even run a parade without this bridge. This bridge is extraordinarily important to this town for a lot of reasons,” Zinke said. “We need to find a way to fix the bridge so that it works. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long and miserable summer for us all.”

Bigfork Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Rebekah King echoed the congressman’s concerns, lamenting the effect of the bridge’s closing on Bigfork’s downtown businesses.

“This is going to have a huge economic impact on Bigfork — on its businesses,” she said. “Bigfork is a congested small town on its best day and the events cannot function without this bridge. There is a very good chance that tourists will choose just not to deal with the mess down here and just keep going.”

“We only have two arteries into this town. If you shut off one of them, most things don’t survive. That’s how ghost towns are created,” added Danny Horgan, owner of downtown restaurant Oro y Plata. “You might as well be telling all of these people, all of these businesses — ‘You just have to deal with it.’ To start this project in 2026 is just not acceptable.”

Locals also raised safety concerns, including congestion and safety during events like the Bigfork Whitewater Festival and the annual Fourth of July Parade. They also worried about pedestrians who must now walk along Montana 35 to reach places after the bridge closure.

King expressed concern for the residents who would be trapped by the bridge’s closure in the event of a fire approaching the area from the southwest.

While Kailey insisted that the state will do everything it can to expedite construction of the new bridge, he pointed out that it will be up to the county to come up with any temporary solutions.

Flathead County engineer Bethany Kappes told the crowd temporary options exist, but they are not cheap and the “geometry” of the area could make them difficult to implement.

According to Kappes, a temporary pedestrian bridge could possibly be erected on the power plant side of the bridge, but at a cost of between $400,000 and $600,000.

    State and county officials continue to search for solutions to the problems presented by the closing of the Bridge Street bridge in Bigfork. (Jeremy Weber/Bigfork Eagle)
  

For Flathead County Public Works Director Dave Prunty, who helped spearhead the effort to secure a new bridge, the situation is a culmination of his worst fears.

“In 2016, I submitted an application for a two-lane, concrete and beam and deck bridge. The bottom line is that bridge would probably be in place by now because that is a pretty easy bridge for [Montana Department of Transportation] to do their work on,” he said. “Unfortunately, we got to a point where I hoped like hell that we wouldn’t get to.”

While the county and the people of Bigfork continue to search for answers, Kailey said plans for the construction of the new bridge will continue.

“That was our plan — to deliver the new bridge in 2026. We do have the funding available for the project, but not until then,” he said. “We are three days into this. Give us a little time and we will see what we can expedite. We hear you and we understand. Let us see what we can do.”

Those with questions or concerns can email Sloane Stinson at Sloane@bigskypublicrelations.com or call the project hotline at 406-207-4484, which operates Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

For more information about the Bridge Street - Bigfork project, visit http://bit.ly/BridgeStreetBigfork.