Construction of Sportsman’s Bridge replacement set to begin this year
Originally built in 1955, the Sportsman’s Bridge over the Flathead River near Bigfork will be replaced by a modern bridge as part of a two-year construction project beginning by the end of this year. (Jeremy Weber/Bigfork Eagle)
Construction of a new bridge to replace the 68-year-old Sportsman’s Bridge on Montana 82 near Bigfork will get underway by the end of the year, the Montana Department of Transportation announced last week.
First announced in 2021, work on the $20 million project will begin in the later part of 2023 with minimal to no traffic impacts, but intermittent single-lane closures will be required, the department said.
The current narrow bridge that spans the Flathead River was built in 1955 and was not designed to accommodate today’s larger vehicles or the increased traffic due to the growth in population and tourism in the Flathead Valley, the department said in a press release.
The Montana Department of Transportation will replace the 686-feet-long bridge with a new 706-feet-long structure, which will be built just to the south side of the existing bridge.
The new bridge will contain two 12-foot travel lanes and two 10-foot shoulders.
By widening the roadway and adding sizeable shoulders on either side, Montana Department of Transportation says it is providing a safer corridor for travelers.
While the new bridge will be open to pedestrians, there are currently no plans for a dedicated bike lane or pedestrian walkway.
However, a shared-use path connecting Montana 82 and Montana 83 is in Flathead County’s long-range transportation plan. If the shared-use path is constructed, the substantial 10-foot shoulders on the new bridge will be able to accommodate pedestrian and bike traffic with minor alterations, such as striping and installing a protective pedestrian rail to separate the path from the travel lanes.
As part of the project, the fishing access site to the south of the bridge also will be replaced by a new fishing access site in roughly the same area it occupies now.
In an effort to keep the fishing access site open, construction of the new site will take place before construction of the bridge begins and will include A new, low-water boat ramp, a reconstructed ADA-accessible restroom and a paved parking area with 26 truck/trailer parking stalls, eight standard vehicle parking stalls and two ADA-accessible parking stalls.
The new fishing site will also include a paved access road that will reduce dust.
The new fishing access site will be accessed from Hanging Rock Drive, rather than the current Montana 82 access point.
New left and righthand turn lanes will also be constructed on Montana 82 at the intersection with Hanging Rock Drive, which will enhance the safety of the intersection and prevent traffic backups caused by fishing site visitors and residents turning onto Hanging Rock Drive.
The new bridge will have the same or slightly more vertical clearance than the existing bridge and boat traffic will be allowed beneath the bridge through the work zone.
For safety purposes, temporary short-term closures may be necessary. These closures are anticipated to last no more than eight hours per occurrence and the public will be notified in advance of any restrictions or temporary closures.
More details about the project will be available after the contractor bidding process is completed later in the year.
Before construction begins, the Montana Department of Transportation plans to host an open house where the community will have the opportunity to view the final plans, learn more about the upcoming construction, and meet and ask questions directly to the project team.
The public can sign up for text updates about the project by texting “sportsmans” to 41411 or on the project’s website at https://www.mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/flathead/.