NEWS RELEASE

March 13, 2024

Contact: Shane Stack

Director, Public Works
406-830-0103
sstack@missoulacounty.us

Missoula County to Start Maclay Bridge Repairs Next Week

Missoula County Public Works crews are scheduled to begin work next week on the temporary
repairs needed to reopen the Maclay Bridge west of Missoula.

Crews are planning to begin repairs the week of March 18 by removing the deck surfacing and
portions of the corrugated steel deck pans, which will then need to be replaced after new
stringers are installed. The materials for the deck replacement are expected to be delivered in
the next three to five weeks, which will dictate the repair schedule. The County tentatively plans
to have the bridge reopened around the end of April, though this timeline is heavily dependent
on weather conditions and other factors.

Repair work on the bridge can move ahead following receipt of the required environmental
documentation from the Montana Department of Transportation. Chief Public Works Officer
Shane Stack also confirmed delivery of the new steel stringers needed to replace the
deteriorating structural components beneath the bridge deck.

Missoula County closed the bridge, which spans the Bitterroot River between North Avenue and
River Pines Road, on Jan. 26 after the Montana Department of Transportation informed staff to
close it as soon as possible due to structural concerns. The bridge will remain closed to all
traffic, including bicycles and pedestrians, until after repairs are complete. County officials urge
members of the public to abide by this closure.

The total cost of the repairs, including materials and labor, is estimated to be $65,000. MDT has
committed to covering the cost of repairs with funding from Senate Bill 536.The repairs will allow
the County to reopen the one-lane bridge, placed at its current location in 1953, to traffic,
bicycles and pedestrians. Construction on a new bridge upstream that would connect South
Avenue to River Pines Road is tentatively slated to begin in 2026. More information on the
South Avenue Bridge is online.

Stack is available to answer media questions by calling 406-830-0103 or emailing

sstack@missoulacounty.us.