Flathead River to close temporarily for Sportsman’s Bridge beam work

BIGFORK, Mont. — Boaters on the Flathead River near Bigfork will face a temporary closure this week as crews continue work on the new Sportsman’s Bridge.

The Montana Department of Transportation and Sletten Construction will continue constructing the new bridge on Montana Highway 82 northwest of Bigfork by placing steel beams over the east side of the Flathead River. The beams will support the deck of the new bridge.

To safely complete the work, the river beneath the bridge will be temporarily closed from 7 a.m. Wednesday, July 8, to 6 p.m. Thursday, July 9.

No boat traffic will be allowed to travel under the bridge during that time.

The following was sent out by Montana Department of Transportation:

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and Sletten Construction will continue constructing the new Sportsman’s Bridge on Montana Highway 82 (MT 82) northwest of Bigfork by placing steel beams over the east side of the Flathead River. These beams will support the deck of the new bridge.

To safely complete this work, the river beneath the bridge will be temporarily closed from 7 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8, to 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 9.

No boat traffic will be allowed to travel under the bridge during this time.

This closure area includes approximately 20 feet upstream and 300 feet downstream of the bridge and applies to all motorized and non-motorized watercraft, including kayaks, canoes, rafts, and paddleboards.

The Sportsman’s Bridge Fishing Access Site will remain open during this time for boaters traveling southbound (downstream) on the river toward Flathead Lake.

No traffic impacts are anticipated for motorists traveling on MT 82 during this work.