Congressman Ryan Zinke and Flathead County commissioners joined construction crews in Bigfork on Monday to celebrate the feat of replacing the village’s historic one-lane bridge. 

Downtown Bigfork’s 114-year-old bridge was closed after it was deemed unsafe for vehicle and pedestrian travel in January 2024. Several years before that, the closure was load posted at a 3-ton weight limit, which restricted larger vehicles from using the bridge. 

Battle Ridge Builders of Belgrade started work on the project last winter, taking down parts of the old bridge in early January. Work will wrap up ahead of the projected completion date of June 30, according to the Montana Department of Transportation.  

Project Manager Jack Moreaux said the steel truss bridge is a project he’s always wanted to build. But the Bridge Street Bridge posed a few challenges, including working in the frigid winter temperatures.  

“It’s tight quarters, right in the middle of town here. There were lots of utilities (to move) and generally speaking, there’s just not a lot of access through here,” Moreaux said. “And the expedited timeline, we wanted to open this before the Fourth of July, so we put in a lot of work to make that happen.” 

Zinke touted Moureaux as an example of Montana’s young talent, as he graduated from Manhattan High School in 2019. He said everyone on every level of the bridge project stepped up to make it happen. 

“It's on time and under budget -- it’s great, and it has a nice little area for people to walk. It’s an improvement that has the same legacy design, which the community was very much in favor of,” Zinke said.  

Battle Ridge Builders were awarded the $2.6 million contract for the replacement of the bridge. The funding was split, with 86.6% coming from federal coffers, 13.4% from the state and a $50,000 county contribution. The bridge is owned by Flathead County with Montana Department of Transportation overseeing the reconstruction effort.    

Flathead County Commissioner Pam Holmquist said she remembers meetings in 2015 when discussions began to replace the one-lane historic bridge. Back then, the bridge was showing signs of deterioration. The state hired a consultant and formed a team to tackle the project, which was comprised of community members, including Holmquist. She said they looked at seven options for replacing the bridge.  

“We decided on the seventh option, the one you see here today, which maintains the historical part of Bigfork, which is our goal, but still provides a safe bridge,” Holmquist said.  

Not only is the bridge aesthetically in line with what community members hoped for, but it’s now clear to handle large loads, like delivery trucks headed to downtown businesses.  

Flathead County Commissioner Brad Abell said it’s going to be a tremendous asset for Bigfork. Larger vehicles being allowed to cross the bridge also means better access for emergency services. 

Commissioner Randy Brodehl echoed these sentiments. 

“It's been a years of waiting on this project and coming together with the community to really give them what they're wanting and still meet the needs for the next 100 plus years. It was an incredible opportunity for us to partner with the state and federal government to make this happen,” Brodehl said.  

Ribbon-cutting event

A ribbon cutting to celebrate the reopening of the Bridge Street Bridge in downtown Bigfork is slated for June 25. The event will include an auctioned-off first ride across the new bridge.  

Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Rebekah King said they wanted to create an event that honored the work that went into the bridge before construction began, like the community input advocated for by members of the Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork, or CFBB, back in 2017, when the bridge design was just a conversation.  

"It kind of helped ensure that the new bridge aligned with Bigfork's identity,” King said.  

Though the bridge was closed last year for many of the events that are hosted in downtown Bigfork, it will be open again for one of its biggest of the summer, the Fourth of July parade. Before the full closure last year, the bridge had a three-ton weight limit for several years, which can make parade routes difficult.   

“We are beyond excited. Normally, we have to kind of Jenga the large floats on Osborne Avenue and that gets really tricky. So, this year we'll be able to send everyone out over the bridge, and then they can go out over Bridge Street, either on Montana 35 or Montana 209, so we think it'll help with traffic,” King said.  

She said the opening is a result of extraordinary collaboration between the Montana Department of Transportation, Flathead County, the CFBB and Battle Ridge Builders.  

The ribbon cutting ceremony kicks off at 11:45, with comments from community leaders and project partners. Then, the auction winner will drive the first ceremonial vehicle across the bridge, breaking the ribbon on the other side.  

Uncle Bud, Bigfork’s own centenarian, will follow in a 1925 Model T, “honoring a century of Bigfork’s history.” As attendees walk across the bridge, they will be led by a lantern parade hosted by the Flathead County Library.  

The event concludes with a celebration at the River View Bar, with refreshments and music by the Bad Larry’s.  

Bridge Street will be closed to vehicles from National Parks Realty to Bigfork Angler during the event, starting at 10 a.m. 

Bidding for the chance to be the first to drive across the bridge at the ribbon cutting ceremony is live at betterbigfork.org/. 

Taylor Inman may be reached at 758-4440 or [email protected].