Road Construction and Infrastructure Project Work

2023 Major Construction Areas. Map of GNP with 2 pop out areas with lines and cones pointing to construction. North Fork: Kintla, Ford, Akokala, and Bowman bridges & Glacier Drive in Polebridge. West Glacier: GTSR, Camas, Fish Creek & Upp. McDonald Cr.
 

Road reconstruction typically requires warmer weather. In this part of the country that means road construction overlaps with the primary visitor season of May through October. In the summer of 2023 there will be several road construction projects that may impact travel times within the Glacier National Park area.

 
Going-to-the-Sun Road
The west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road, from the foot of Lake McDonald to North Lake McDonald Road, will undergo three phases of rehabilitation work. 9.3 miles of Going-to-the-Sun Road is expected to be milled and repaved through fall 2023, weather permitting.

Visitors should anticipate up to a 30-minute wait in both directions on Going-to-the-Sun Road along Lake McDonald. To avoid congestion-related delays, visitors are encouraged to use the St. Mary Entrance to access Going-to-the-Sun Road, including popular attractions such as Logan Pass and Avalanche, when the road fully opens for the season.

All pull-outs in the construction zone along Lake McDonald are anticipated to be closed through late fall 2023. Visitors should drive and bike with caution in this area due to uneven surfaces and potholes.

There is a possibility for nightime closures in the construction zone later in the season. Updates will be posted here ahead of time. Visitors should check this page before their visit if they intend to visit at night.
 
 

Upper McDonald Creek Bridge
A bridge replacement is underway on upper McDonald Creek. The bridge provides access to the northwest shore of Lake McDonald including private homes, the Lake McDonald Ranger Station, and trailheads. The new bridge will be built approximately 30 feet upstream of the existing bridge, requiring a realignment of the road approaches.

There is a full closure during construction to North Lake McDonald Road at the intersection with the Going-to-the-Sun Road. There will be no public access, including vehicles, hiking, or biking and no parking at this intersection. Visitors intending on hiking the Johns Lake Loop Trail will need to turn around where trail closed signs are posted. Hikers will not be able to complete the loop.

Bridge construction is expected to go through the entire 2023 construction season and conclude in late 2024.

Camas to North Fork & Northeast Bridges
Glacier National Park is continuing a construction project to rehabilitate 13 bridges throughout the park. The work will take place over the next year. This is the continuation of a two-year project that began last summer.


The bridges currently under construction are as follows:

Bridge

Road

Anticipated Start Date

Access

North Fork Bridge

Camas Road

April 2023

Short delays through September 2023. Single lane traffic.

Bowman Bridge

Inside North Fork Road

Spring 2023

Anticipated closure no earlier than September 11 with no access to Bowman and Kintla area campgrounds and trailheads for approximately two weeks.

Kintla, Akokala, & Ford bridges

Inside North Fork Road

Spring 2023

Anticipated closure no earlier than September 5 with no access to Kintla area campgrounds and trailheads for approximately two weeks. No vehicle access past Big Prairie to Kintla Lake

Lee Creek Bridge

Chief Mountain Highway

Fall 2023

Short delays September through late fall 2023.























In mid-September, crews expect to finish work at Kintla Creek and begin working at Bowman Creek. There will be no vehicle access to the North Fork area of the park until the expected completion of work in early October. Hiker/Biker access will be available.

Improvements to the bridges include bridge deck and approach repairs, timber pile replacement and repairs, timber curb replacement, painting, concrete repair, erosion control measures, and more. The work is being completed to preserve the existing bridges and ensure continued usage by preventing failure which would require full bridge replacement.

In addition to the Bridge Preservation Project, the GNP Road Crew will also be grading the last five miles of the road to Kintla Lake July through fall 2023. Visitors need to use caution as there will be heavy truck traffic and minor delays. Roads in the North Fork area typically close at the end of November due to winter conditions.

Glacier Drive to North Fork Entrance
Starting July 10, 2023, a portion of Glacier Drive, which is just north of the Polebridge businesses to the bridge entering the park, will be under construction.

Construction within the business area of Polebridge will begin on August 14, 2023. Parking will be restricted to outside the work area until construction is completed.

Visitors to the Polebridge area should expect 30-minute delays before arriving at and departing the park entrance. Updates for the construction project can be found on Montana Department of Transportation's website. Visitors should know, this 30-minute construction zone will be in addition to construction zones inside the park. Please see the “Camas to North Fork & Northeast Bridges” above.

Campground Comfort Station Roofing Project
12 comfort stations will have roofs replaced in August and September 2023. There will be full closures to each comfort station for 1-2 days while materials are removed.

  • Rising Sun Campground- 2 comfort stations affected the week of August 21, 2023.
  • Apgar Campground- 9 comfort stations affected July through September 2023. Work is being done on one comfort station at a time.
  • Fish Creek Campground- 1 comfort station affected late August to early September.


U.S. Highway 89
Expect some traffic control, with short delays between Hudson Bay Divide and Kiowa from late August to early September 2023. More information about the construction project can be found on Montana Department of Transportation's website.

 

Timeframe of Road Work and Project Construction in Affected Location
(project dates highlighted in yellow)

June

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

North Fork and Camas Road

Camas Road bridge over the North Fork of the Flathead

Short delays expected through fall 2023.

Inside North Fork Road Bridge Preservation Projects

Bowman, Kintla, Akokala and Ford bridges: Short delays through early September 2023. Kintla area closure expected September 5. Bowman Area closure expected mid-September.

No vehicle access to the North Fork area of the park until the expected completion of the Bowman bridge in early October.

Chief Mountain

Chief Mountain HWY bridge over Lee Creek

Short delays September through late fall 2023.

Going-to-the-Sun Road

Going-to-the-Sun Road between
Apgar & Lake McDonald Lodge

GTSR Road Rehabilitation Project: 30-minute delays in both directions.

Outside the Park

Outside North Fork Entrance

Glacier Drive: 30-minute delays July 10 through Aug 14.
Polebridge business area: 30-minute delays and parking retsrictions Aug 14 through fall.

U.S. Highway 89

Construction between Kiowa and Hudson Bay Divide. Expect some traffic control late August through early September.

 
A tractor plows snow in the mountains.
Current Road Conditions

Conditions are constantly changing. Check here for updates on which roads are open or closed.

Two blurry people frame the image of the top of a shuttle bus that says, "Logan Pass."
How does the free shuttle work?

The shuttle can move you along Going-to-the-Sun Road but requires flexibility.

A person holds a plant seedling in the air.
Headwaters Podcast

Headwaters is a public radio-style podcast by Glacier National Park, produced with support from the Glacier National Park Conservancy.

Last updated: September 1, 2023

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

PO Box 128
West Glacier, MT 59936

Phone:

406-888-7800

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