BIGFORK — The recent closure of the Bridge Street Bridge in Bigfork is causing some major concerns for businesses and community members.
The Bridge Street Bridge crosses the Swan River and connects downtown Bigfork with Highway 35.
The span closed on January 31, 2024, after an inspection found it was unsafe for travel, and with only one road into downtown Bigfork now open, the town must adapt.
“We don't know how people are going to react to not being able to use it. We don't know if people might just avoid Bigfork, it might be too much work to get in and out of town. So, it's really concerning to the businesses with summer coming. And it's concerning that we're looking at three summer seasons of no bridge,” said Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Rebekah King.
There has been concern over the bridge's structural integrity since 2017. Originally, the plan was for the bridge to be replaced in 2023 but that never happened. And now, the bridge is shut down and work is not expected to begin until 2026.
"This bridge has been here for over 100 years. It's really an artery into Bigfork. In 2015, 2017, there were 3,000 cars using it a day. Since then, we know that the population of Big Fork has grown," King noted. "The visitors to Bigfork has grown so we really don't know how many people use it daily."
A major concern with the bridge being closed is safety. If an evacuation of downtown ever becomes necessary, there is only one road out that will become extremely congested. The Chamber of Commerce is working with MDT to hopefully open the bridge up to everyday pedestrian travel to prevent people from walking along Highway 35.
“It's hard to believe that in one day, it can go from being traveled on to be not safe for people to walk on,” said King.
The Bridge Street Bridge has been a major landmark in downtown Bigfork since it opened in 1912 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. With such history, it is a part of many of Bigfork’s events — such as the Bigfork Brewfest and the Whitewater Festival, that will have to be reworked to accommodate the closure.
“Well, the biggest thing is our events. Every event is having to be reworked. You know, the Bigfork Chamber hosts multiple events every year and supports multiple events that bring people into Bigfork that spend money and Bigfork to support our businesses,” said King.
The MDT plans to replace the bridge beginning in 2026, but the residents of Bigfork hope to see the process expedited and the bridge open sooner.
“Having the bridge shut down. It's just really it's a question mark of how is Bigfork going to continue to thrive. And how are we going to continue to have our events and get people into Bigfork spending money,” King told MTN News.
