MISSOULA — Missoula County officials say preliminary plans are now in place to repair two bridges that were closed because of structural concerns.
The engineering firm HDR is recommending that deteriorating steel stringers that run under Maclay Bridge west of Missoula be replaced. The work will require crews to remove parts of the deck, which will then be replaced.
The bridge across the Bitterroot River was closed on Jan. 26, 2024, after the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) told county officials to close the span because of structural concerns.
According to a news release, it will cost an estimated $65,000 to repair Maclay Bridge, and the MDT “has committed to covering the cost of repairs with funding from Senate Bill 536.”
County officials estimate that work on the one-lane bridge will begin in the spring, depending on the weather and the availability of materials.
Additional information about the Maclay Bridge project can be found here.
MDT will also provide funding from SB 536 so that Missoula County can complete the repairs that are needed on the Rock Creek Bridge in the Clinton area.
State officials designated the bridge as “scour critical” last fall after an inspection revealed the river could wash away enough sediment around the piers to compromise the structural integrity of the bridge, especially amid high water events.
Missoula County Public Works plans to fortify the base of the piers with rip-rap this spring, hopefully before mountain runoff brings high water to the area.
“Additional but less urgent repairs to the bridge are planned for this fall,” the release states. The total cost for the repairs will depend on bid prices.
