One pillar on a row of timber piles that hold up the Boy Scout Bridge. The Montana Department of Transportation recently lowered the weight limit to three tons.
The bridge on Boy Scout Road that spans the Clearwater River could need major repairs or a complete rebuild after an inspection this September, according to the Montana Department of Transportation and Missoula County.
The bridge was constructed out of wood in 1937. Thousands of people travel over it each year to get to campgrounds and other recreation opportunities in the area. MDT ordered Aug. 1 that the bridge must be limited to vehicles under three tons within the next 30 days.
"A 2022 underwater inspection indicates that many of the timber piles exhibit extensive rot and decay with some showing signs of crushing and distortion," the Aug. 1 letter from MDT to Missoula County said.
Jackie White, who has a cabin on the Clearwater River, noticed a popping noise coming from one of the wooden pillars when she was under the bridge in a boat July 30. She said her grown children noticed some of the pillars are leaning.
"We stopped to take pictures and an SUV drove over the top of the bridge, that's when we heard this big pop or creak of wood," White said.
White notified MDT about the issue. While Missoula County is responsible for the bridge, all inspections are handled by MDT. Andy Cullison, bridge bureau chief for MDT, said the bridge has been in bad shape for years, and that the state sent the county a letter in 2017 urging officials to replace the bridge.
"This bridge has been one of concern for a long time," MDT Bridge Management Engineer Amanda Jackson wrote in the 2017 letter. "It's a good candidate for replacement. All of the piles are deteriorating."
Cullison said deteriorating bridges are becoming a problem all across Montana, with numerous closures kicking in this year. MDT rated the Boy Scout Bridge 60 out of 100 for stability in 2021 - just above the line for replacement.
The state will reassess the structure in September with a special assessment that includes an underwater diving team and drilling tiny holes through the vertical beams to test their strength.
Erik Dickson, a Missoula County engineer, said infrastructure generally needs replacement when it is rated 50 or less. Structures rated between 60 and 80 are also considered for replacement, but Dickson said there are five other bridges in Missoula County that are already below 50 and the county can't afford to replace for all of them.
Dickson said he expects the bridge to get a rating at 50 or below when MDT does its tests next month. He said the state and the county have been aware of a major overhaul needed for the bridge, which gets heavy summer use and helps connect a loop around Seeley Lake.
It's possible that the bridge will continue to be safe to drive on, but Dickson said he couldn't rule out a complete shutdown of the bridge.
Early assessments made by the county estimate a complete bridge replacement would cost $5.5 million, Dickson said, but that number is a rough estimate.
The price is also too expensive for the county to completely cover, so Dickson said planners hope to get state and federal grants for the new bridge. He said the county is currently looking for grants to fund the project.
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