Swiftcurrent Bridge work to begin this fall

The environmental analysis and review process for replacement of the Swiftcurrent Bridge in Glacier National Park has been completed, and the decision to move forward has been signed by the National Park Service’s intermountain regional director.

Located at the foot of Swiftcurrent Lake, the bridge provides vehicle and pedestrian access to the Many Glacier Hotel Historic District and the Many Glacier Hotel, a National Historic Landmark.

Park officials say the bridge is losing its structural integrity — the deck is severely damaged, abutments and piers are in disrepair, and the bridge has limited capacity to handle high water due to the four interior piers.

Other concerns include deteriorated concrete curb and sidewalks, loose or missing stone masonry, and the non-code compliant suspension of utility lines on the bridge.

If the bridge is not replaced, visitor access to the hotel and developed area will become severely limited and may eventually be prohibited, Park officials say.

The new bridge will be designed to be compatible with the historic and architectural characteristics of the historic district.

Five comment letters were received after the environmental analysis was released in February. Park officials say concerns about impacts to concession operations were addressed and added to the final decision.

Work on the bridge replacement will begin in late September after the hotel and other concession operations have closed for the season. Work will take place 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the first week of December.

The access road to the hotel and developed area will be closed to traffic during the September-December work period.

Masonry work, roadway preparation and paving work will take place in late summer to early fall 2015 and be limited to day-time hours. Access to the hotel and developed area will remain open during that time period.

The existing five-span, 75-foot bridge will be replaced with a single-span, 85-foot bridge on the existing alignment. Interior piers and existing abutments will be removed, and new abutments will be constructed at the outer edges of the stream channel.

Utilities will be reorganized and contained within the new bridge to reduce safety hazards, improve aesthetics and comply with applicable codes.

The new bridge will have two nine-foot lanes, a three-foot wide sidewalk and a five-foot wide bridle path. Existing railings will be replaced with new railings of similar design, but with modifications for height and spacing.

For more information, visit online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/SwiftcurrentBridge.