Big news, big bridge - visitors to Yellowstone National Park are now using the new Yellowstone River Bridge.
This major Great American Outdoors Act project is moving into its final phase as crews continue work on overlooks, remove the old bridge, and restore the Lost Creek drainage. The full project is expected to be completed in 2026.
The bridge was one of the biggest projects in the park's recent history.
The old bridge was deemed structurally deficient, with crumbling concrete. The new bridge, located upstream, is more than twice as long, at 1,285 feet, as the 62-year-old bridge.
The bridge is needed to provide year-round access to/from the Northeast Entrance and communities of Silver Gate and Cooke City, Montana. According to previous reporting from MTN News, new pullouts, paved parking areas, and a dedicated route across the new bridge will increase access to trails, fishing, and viewpoints. The Yellowstone River Picnic Area will be enlarged to accommodate increased visitor use.
The project was originally estimated to cost slightly more than $71 million, but park officials said the rising cost of labor and materials like concrete and steel pushed the budget to $118 million.
Major road construction projects on tap in Yellowstone National Park this summer (April 5, 2023)
The project is moving into its final phase as crews continue work on overlooks, remove the old bridge, and restore the Lost Creek drainage. The full project is expected to be completed in 2026.
