Road reconstruction typically requires warmer weather. In this part of the country that means road construction overlaps with the primary visitor season of May through October. In the summer of 2023 there will be several road construction projects that may impact travel times within the Glacier National Park area.
Camas to North Fork & Northeast Bridges
Glacier National Park is continuing a construction project to rehabilitate 13 bridges throughout the park. The work will take place over the next year. This is the continuation of a two-year project that began last summer.
Due to bridge construction and road conditions, all roads in the North Fork area of the park are expected to be closed to vehicle traffic until May 25, 2023. Early season work is proposed to complete bridge approach excavations in the Spring. All spring work is dependent on weather conditions and site accessibility.
The bridges to be rehabilitated this year are as follows:
|
Bridge
|
Road
|
Anticipated Start Date
|
Access
|
|
Fish Creek Bridge
|
Fish Creek Campground Road
|
August 2022
|
Closed May 1 through May 25, 2023 to vehicular traffic until campground opens on May 26. Open to hiker/biker.
|
|
North Fork Bridge
|
Camas Road
|
April 2023
|
Short delays through May 2023 and short delays August through September 2023.
|
|
Bowman Bridge
|
Inside North Fork Road
|
Spring 2023
|
Short delays May 26 to early September 2023. Closed September 11 through mid-November with no access to Bowman and Kintla area campgrounds and trailheads. If early season work is completed in spring, Bowman Creek Bridge will only require a short duration closure in the fall. In-water work within the creek must occur in the fall due to water levels and biologic requirements.
|
|
Kintla, Akokala, & Ford bridges
|
Inside North Fork Road
|
Spring 2023
|
Short delays May 26 to early September 2023. Closed September 5 through mid-November with no access to Kintla area campgrounds and trailheads.
|
|
Lee Creek Bridge
|
Chief Mountain Highway
|
Fall 2023
|
Short delays September through late fall 2023.
|
Improvements to the bridges include bridge deck and approach repairs, timber pile replacement and repairs, timber curb replacement, painting, concrete repair, erosion control measures, and more. The work is being completed to preserve the existing bridges and ensure continued usage by preventing failure which would require full bridge replacement.
In addition to the Bridge Preservation Project, the GNP Road Crew will also be grading the last five miles of the road to Kintla Lake July through fall 2023. Visitors need to use caution as there will be heavy truck traffic and minor delays. Roads in the North Fork area typically close at the end of November due to winter conditions.
Glacier Drive to North Fork Entrance
Starting July 10, 2023, a portion of Glacier Drive, which is just north of the Polebridge businesses to the bridge entering the park, will be under construction.
Construction within the business area of Polebridge will begin on August 14, 2023. Parking will be restricted to outside the work area until construction is completed.
Visitors to the Polebridge area should expect 30-minute delays before arriving at and departing the park entrance. Updates for the construction project can be found on Montana Department of Transportation's website. Visitors should know, this 30-minute construction zone will be in addition to construction zones inside the park. Please see the “Camas to North Fork & Northeast Bridges” above.
Going-to-the-Sun Road
The Lake McDonald Utilities Project will replace seven miles of sewer force main, electrical, and telephone lines from Apgar to the Lake McDonald Lodge along Going-to-the-Sun Road. It will also replace the lift station at the lodge to reduce the threat of sewage overflow. Construction is expected to continue until May 15, 2023. Visitors should drive and bike with caution in this area due to uneven surfaces and potholes.
The west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road, from the foot of Lake McDonald to North Lake McDonald Road, will undergo three phases of rehabilitation work. 9.3 miles of Going-to-the-Sun Road is expected to be milled and repaved starting May through fall 2023, weather permitting.
Visitors should anticipate up to a 30-minute wait due to construction on Going-to-the-Sun Road along Lake McDonald starting in May. Entry to Going-to-the-Sun Road from the West Entrance before the 6 am reservation period will not be possible due to construction activities. To avoid congestion-related delays, visitors are encouraged to use the St. Mary Entrance to access Going-to-the-Sun Road, including popular attractions such as Logan Pass and Avalanche, when the road fully opens for the season.
All pull-outs in the construction zone along Lake McDonald are anticipated to be closed through late fall 2023. Visitors should drive and bike with caution in this area due to uneven surfaces and potholes.
Starting June 1, the construction zone will be closed nightly from 10 pm to 6 am until late fall with opportunities to go through at midnight, 2 am, and 4 am.
Upper McDonald Creek Bridge
In early April, bridge replacement will begin on upper McDonald Creek. The bridge provides access to the northwest shore of Lake McDonald including private homes, the Lake McDonald Ranger Station, and trailheads. The new bridge will be built approximately 30 feet upstream of the existing bridge, requiring a realignment of the road approaches.
There will be a full closure during construction to North Lake McDonald Road at the intersection with the Going-to-the-Sun Road. There will be no public access, including vehicles, hiking, or biking and no parking at this intersection. Visitors intending on hiking the Johns Lake Loop Trail will need to turn around where trail closed signs are posted. Hikers will not be able to complete the loop.
Bridge construction is expected to go through the entire 2023 construction season and conclude in late 2024.
Big Bend
The most unique vault toilet in Glacier with a living roof will be completed in summer 2023. The project includes a two-hole vault toilet set back into the hill on the north side of the road. The construction zone on the north side of Big Bend is closed to all pedestrian and vehicle traffic until the project is complete. Big Bend is a turn out located near the Weeping Wall on Going-to-the-Sun Road. There will be minimal impacts to employees and visitors.
Rising Sun
The roof of two comfort stations will be replaced in summer 2023. There will be full closures to each comfort station. Dates are to be determined. Please check back here for updates.
U.S. Highway 2
Paving and chip reseal work will resume in the Marias Pass area of U.S. Highway 2 in spring 2023. Expect some traffic control, with single lane restrictions and short delays through summer 2023. More information about the construction project can be found on Montana Department of Transportation's website.
U.S. Highway 89
The section of U.S. Highway 89 immediately east and south of St. Mary, MT will be under construction this summer. This is the continuation of a multi-year project that has been ongoing for the last few summers. Expect some traffic control, with single lane restrictions and short delays between Hudson Bay Divide and Kiowa. More information about the construction project can be found on Montana Department of Transportation's website.
