YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — It’s pretty quiet this time of year in Yellowstone. That’s because all the roads to the interior parts of the park are closed until those roads open to snow vehicles, weather permitting, on December 15th.
The light traffic gives the park the perfect opportunity to open a new 1,175-foot bridge over the Yellowstone River.
New bridge, new views! Yellowstone's latest 1,175-foot bridge over the Yellowstone River is open for traffic
While the new bridge leading out to the Lamar Valley is open to traffic, it's not really a finished project. There are walking paths along each side of the bridge that are protected by railings on both sides, but those aren't open yet. Warning signs tell visitors not to walk or stand on or next to the new bridge and barricades block access to the sidewalks on the bridge. There are parking areas on both sides of the bridge. Those paved parking spots are open on the east side of the bridge, but on the west side the parking areas are not yet paved and remain closed. Another part of the project is cleaning up and tearing down the old bridge that the new one replaces.
Bozeman resident Shirley Huttinger was walking near and viewing the new bridge on a sunny day this past week and said she was impressed. She said, “I think it's pretty awesome. We've been coming through here for the last three years while they've been building it, and I think it's just an amazing feat that they've done. It's just going to be really nice to be able to walk over and see a little bit more of the country.”
A small, existing picnic area on the east side of the bridge will triple in size to include two loops, accommodate larger RVs, and add a second vault toilet. On the west side of the bridge, a new walking path is under construction, and there will be river viewing areas on both sides of the new bridge.
The bridge isn’t the only big project in Yellowstone. The new Lewis River bridge between the south entrance and West Thumb opened this year. It also includes new walking paths and a view of the river and nearby falls.
But the fate of other big projects that were already announced is currently unknown. About a third of the National Parks' annual budget, nationwide, was cut this year, and many construction projects were put on hold. That leaves the expansive Golden Gate project, just south of Mammoth and a permanent road connecting Gardiner and Mammoth at the north entrance, in a state of limbo. It’s unknown when decisions about those projects will be made.
