The Yellowstone River Bridge replacement project in Yellowstone National Park involves significant infrastructure improvements aimed at enhancing safety and visitor access.
The project is located near Tower Junction along the Northeast Entrance Road. It’s designed to replace a structurally deficient bridge built in 1961, which is part of the park’s only road corridor open year-round.
A new 1,285-foot-long, 175-foot-high steel girder bridge will be constructed upstream from the existing bridge. This new structure will have drilled shafts, concrete decking, sidewalks, and railing.
Road and Area Improvements:
- Approximately one mile of the Northeast Entrance Road will be realigned.
- The park plans to redesign and reconstruct parking, pullouts, and the Yellowstone River Picnic Area to accommodate increased visitor use.
- The intersection at Tower Junction will be relocated 700 feet southeast of its current location.
- The project includes the construction of the Yellowstone River Overlook Trailhead Parking Area.
Construction began in 2023 and is expected to conclude in the fall of 2026 and traffic delays of up to 30 minutes are anticipated during construction.
The project is funded by the Great American Outdoors Act, with an approximately $118 million construction contract.
The bridge site is within a hydrothermally and geothermally active zone, necessitating special construction techniques like the use of sulfate-resistant concrete.
During construction, the existing bridge will continue to be used by regular car and truck traffic to minimize disruptions.
Once the new bridge is complete, the old bridge and road segment will be removed, and the area will be rehabilitated, including the re-establishment of wetlands bisected by the current road.
The Yellowstone River Bridge replacement project not only aims to improve safety but also to reduce the park’s deferred maintenance backlog significantly, enhancing access for visitors and supporting local economies by improving year-round access to the park.
