Century Old Bridge Restoration

by Lorenzo DeSimone 
Glacier National Park in Montana is widely known as "the Switzerland of North America," and is treated like it, with over two million hikers, photographers, and adventurers crossing bridges in the Park. One of these bridges is the Swiftcurrent Bridge, one that sees the most traffic as a single point of entry into the park, but after almost 100 years of use, inspections of the bridge deem it in need of repair.




Swiftcurrent Lake, credit: Federal Lands Highway


Repairing the bridge posed unique challenges. The Swiftcurrent Bridge resides deep within Glacier National Park. While this remote location gives visitors a welcome sense of escape to nature, it also creates major limitations in available construction materials and machinery. Replacing the bridge can not hinder the visitors, and starting construction in September was taking a serious risk in the cold climate of Montana.


Through the use of prefabricated bridge elements and systems, the Contractor could build bridge components in an off-site location, then deliver and install them during final construction stages. This would reduce on-site construction time while allowing crews to fabricate bridge components in a controlled environment. Considering the difficult time constraints of the Swiftcurrent Bridge job, this approach would provide the highest probability of success.





Repairing the Bridge, credit: Federal Lands Highway


With an eye for engineering, precision and time management, the builders successfully reconstructed this historic crossing without hindering park visitors or hotel guests. Once the winter ice thawed, the Many Glacier Hotel opened as usual, and guests were able to walk, ride, or drive to its entry across the newly fortified Swiftcurrent Bridge.