Road Construction and Infrastructure Project Work

 

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.

 

Going-to-the-Sun Road
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 through fall 2023, weather permitting.

Visitors should anticipate up to a 30-minute wait in both directions on Going-to-the-Sun Road along Lake McDonald. 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.

There is a possibility for nightime closures in the construction zone later in the season. Updates will be posted here ahead of time. Visitors should check this page before their visit if they intend to visit at night.

 

Dusty Conditions Exist in Going-to-the-Sun Road Construction Area

Be aware that dusty, gravel road conditions exist along the Going-to-the-Sun Road construction zone. The construction zone is on the west side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road from the foot of Lake McDonald to North Lake McDonald Road. Workers are putting water down to minimize the dust, but hot and dry conditions are causing excessive amounts.

 

Upper McDonald Creek Bridge
A bridge replacement is underway 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 is 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.

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.

The bridges currently under construction are as follows:

Bridge	Road	Anticipated Start Date	Access
North Fork Bridge	Camas Road	April 2023	Short delays through September 2023. Single lane traffic.
Bowman Bridge	Inside North Fork Road	Spring 2023	Anticipated closure no earlier than September 11 with no access to Bowman and Kintla area campgrounds and trailheads for approximately two weeks.
Kintla, Akokala, & Ford bridges	Inside North Fork Road	Spring 2023	Anticipated closure no earlier than September 5 with no access to Kintla area campgrounds and trailheads for approximately two weeks. No vehicle access past Big Prairie to Kintla Lake
Lee Creek Bridge	Chief Mountain Highway	Fall 2023	Short delays September through late fall 2023.

In mid-September, crews expect to finish work at Kintla Creek and begin working at Bowman Creek. There will be no vehicle access to the North Fork area of the park until the expected completion of work in early October. Hiker/Biker access will be available.

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.

Campground Comfort Station Roofing Project
12 comfort stations will have roofs replaced in August and September 2023. There will be full closures to each comfort station for 1-2 days while materials are removed.

• Rising Sun Campground- 2 comfort stations affected the week of August 21, 2023.
• Apgar Campground- 9 comfort stations affected July through September 2023. Work is being done on one comfort station at a time.
• Fish Creek Campground- 1 comfort station affected late August to early September.

U.S. Highway 89
Expect some traffic control, with short delays between Hudson Bay Divide and Kiowa from late August to early September 2023. More information about the construction project can be found on Montana Department of Transportation's website.

 

Timeframe of Road Work and Project Construction in Affected Location (project dates highlighted in yellow)		June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov
North Fork and Camas Road
Camas Road bridge over the North Fork of the Flathead	Short delays expected through fall 2023.
Inside North Fork Road Bridge Preservation Projects	Bowman, Kintla, Akokala and Ford bridges: Short delays through early September 2023. Kintla area closure expected September 5. Bowman Area closure expected mid-September. No vehicle access to the North Fork area of the park until the expected completion of the Bowman bridge in early October.
Chief Mountain
Chief Mountain HWY bridge over Lee Creek	Short delays September through late fall 2023.
Going-to-the-Sun Road
Going-to-the-Sun Road between Apgar & Lake McDonald Lodge	GTSR Road Rehabilitation Project: 30-minute delays in both directions.
Outside the Park
Outside North Fork Entrance	Glacier Drive: 30-minute delays July 10 through Aug 14. Polebridge business area: 30-minute delays and parking retsrictions Aug 14 through fall.
U.S. Highway 89	Construction between Kiowa and Hudson Bay Divide. Expect some traffic control late August through early September.