South of Missoula Bridge Preservation - Project Updates

October 10, 2024

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and L & J Construction Group are working on the bridge over the Bitterroot River west of Hamilton, just outside of town, on Secondary Highway 531 (S 531) this week. This bridge requires more work than other bridges on this project. Repairs on this bridge could take a week or more to complete.

During work on this bridge, temporary signals or flaggers will control traffic at all times, temporary concrete barrier rail will be in place, and traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction over the bridge.

This is the last bridge to receive repairs as part of this project. Crews recently completed work on the bridge over the Bitterroot River south of Hamilton and work on five bridges along Secondary Highway 269 (S 269) near Corvallis.

Motorists should expect:

• Flaggers or temporary signals will control traffic.
• Single-lane traffic over the bridge.
• Temporary concrete barrier rail in place.
• Sidewalks are closed when crews are working on adjacent lanes.
• Reduced speed limits.
• Possible delays.
• Wide loads may be restricted. Visit 511mt.net for the most up-to-date information.

Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, slow down, and use caution through the work zone.

October 1, 2024

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and L & J Construction Group are resuming construction on the South of Missoula Bridge Preservation project the week of September 30, weather and other factors permitting. Crews will return to work on the bridge over the Bitterroot River on Bell Crossing West.

Following completion of work on Bell Crossing West bridges, crews anticipate continuing south to complete work on the remaining bridges on Secondary Highway 269 (S 269). Following completion of S 269 repairs, crews will begin work on the bridge over the Bitterroot River south of Hamilton and the bridge on Secondary Highway 531 (S 531) west of Hamilton.

Work on this project began earlier this summer and is anticipated to be completed this fall. Currently, crews have completed work on 30 of 38 bridges that are part of this project.

Motorists should expect:

• Two-lane bridges reduced to a single lane of traffic controlled by flaggers.
• Four-lane bridges reduced to two lanes with crossover traffic patterns in place.
• Temporary concrete barrier rail in place.
• Sidewalks are closed when crews are working on adjacent lanes.
• Reduced speed limits.
• Delays up to 15 minutes.
• Wide loads may be restricted on a case-by-case basis. Visit 511mt.net for the most up-to-date information.

Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, slow down, and use caution through the work zone.

September 17, 2024

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and L & J Construction Group are temporarily pausing construction on the South of Missoula Bridge Preservation project due to weather. Crews anticipate returning during the first week of October to complete work on this project.

Traffic controls will not be in place while construction is paused. Currently crews have completed work on 28 bridges.

When construction resumes, crews anticipate completing work on Bell Crossing West before continuing south to complete work the remaining bridges on Secondary Highway 269 (S 269), weather and other factors pending. Following completion of S 269 repairs, crews will begin work on the bridge over the Bitterroot River south of Hamilton and the bridge on Secondary Highway 531 (S 531) west of Hamilton.

September 12, 2024

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and L & J Construction Group are continuing bridge rehabilitation work on Bell Crossing West this week. One bridge on this route requires significantly more repairs than other bridges and temporary concrete barrier rail has been placed to keep workers safe.

Currently crews have completed work on 28 bridges, with the four Bell Crossing West bridges anticipated to be completed by early next week, weather and other factors permitting.

Work on the Buckhouse Bridge near Missoula was completed earlier this week.

Following completion of work on Bell Crossing West bridges, crews anticipate continuing south to complete work the remaining bridges on Secondary Highway 269 (S 269). Following completion of S 269 repairs, crews will begin work on the bridge over the Bitterroot River south of Hamilton and the bridge on Secondary Highway 531 (S 531) west of Hamilton.

Motorists should expect:

• Two-lane bridges reduced to a single lane of traffic controlled by flaggers.
• Four-lane bridges reduced to two lanes with crossover traffic patterns in place.
• Temporary concrete barrier rail in place.
• Sidewalks are closed when crews are working on adjacent lanes.
• Reduced speed limits.
• Delays up to 15 minutes.
• Wide loads may be restricted on a case-by-case basis. Visit 511mt.net for the most up-to-date information.

Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, slow down, and use caution through the work zone.

September 6, 2024

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and L & J Construction Group will be working on the Buckhouse Bridge over the Bitterroot River near Missoula on Monday, September 9, and Tuesday, September 10. Crews anticipate completing work on this bridge in two days, weather and other factors permitting.

The sidewalk on the bridge will be closed on Monday and reopened on Tuesday. Motorists should anticipate lane closures and reduced speeds over the bridge.

Following completion of work on Buckhouse Bridge, the work schedule remains unchanged. Crews will begin work on the bridge over the Bitterroot River north of Stevensville on Secondary Highway 269 (S 269). Crews will then work their way south, completing bridge work on Bell Crossing West and S 269.

Motorists should expect:

• Two-lane bridges reduced to a single lane of traffic controlled by flaggers.
• Four-lane bridges reduced to two lanes with crossover traffic patterns in place.
• Sidewalks are closed when crews are working on adjacent lanes.
• Reduced speed limits.
• Delays up to 15 minutes.
• Wide loads may be restricted on a case-by-case basis. Visit 511mt.net for the most up-to-date information.

Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, slow down, and use caution through the work zone.

September 5, 2024

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and L & J Construction Group are continuing bridge work along US Highway 93 (US 93) near Florence this week. Crews anticipate they will have completed work on 26 bridges by the end of the week, weather and other factors permitting. Work on the Buckhouse Bridge in Missoula will be completed later to avoid conflict with a nearby paving project.

The week of September 9, crews anticipate beginning work on the bridge over the Bitterroot River north of Stevensville on Secondary Highway 269 (S 269). Crews will then work their way south, completing bridge work on Bell Crossing West and S 269.

MDT would like to remind pedestrians and cyclists that sidewalks adjacent to active work zones are closed.

Motorists should expect:

• Two-lane bridges reduced to a single lane of traffic controlled by flaggers.
• Four-lane bridges reduced to two lanes with crossover traffic patterns in place.
• Sidewalks are closed when crews are working on adjacent lanes.
• Reduced speed limits.
• Delays up to 15 minutes.
• Wide loads may be restricted on a case-by-case basis. Visit 511mt.net for the most up-to-date information.

Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, slow down, and use caution through the work zone.

August 30, 2024

LABOR DAY: Crews will pause construction activities for the Labor Day weekend by 3 p.m. on Friday, August 30 and will resume on Tuesday, September 3.

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and L & J Construction Group are continuing rehabilitation work on 38 bridges south of Missoula. So far, crews have completed work on 18 structures between Sula and Stevensville.

This week, crews are completing work approximately 5 miles north of Victor on the McCalla Creek Bridges on US Highway 93 (US 93). Next week, crews expect to work on three bridges between Stevensville and Lolo on US 93. After the Stevensville to Lolo portion is completed, crews will return south to the US 93 bridge over the Bitterroot River south of Hamilton.

With cooler temperatures returning, L & J Construction Group may need to leave traffic control in place overnight on four-lane bridges to allow sufficient cure time for repairs.

MDT would like to remind pedestrians and cyclists that sidewalks adjacent to active work zones are closed.

Motorists should expect:

• Two-lane bridges reduced to a single-lane of traffic controlled by flaggers.
• Four-lane bridges reduced to two lanes with crossover traffic patterns in place.
• Sidewalks are closed when crews are working on adjacent lanes.
• Reduced speed limits.
• Delays up to 15 minutes.
• Wide loads may be restricted on a case-by-case basis. Visit 511mt.net for the most up-to-date information.

Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, slow down, and use caution through the work zone.

August 22, 2024

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and L & J Construction Group are continuing rehabilitation work on 38 bridges in the south of Missoula. So far, crews have completed work on 10 structures between Sula and Hamilton.

Later this week, crews will begin work on the Veterans Bridge in north of Hamilton and expect to complete work by the end of the week, weather and other factors permitting.

Crews plan to continue working north on US Highway 93 (US 93) and complete work on the most of US 93 bridges before beginning work on Secondary Highway 203 (S 203), Secondary Highway 531 (S 531), Secondary Highway 203 (S 203), and Bell Crossing West. The bridge over the Bitterroot River south of Hamilton required additional work so it was bypassed, and crews will return later to work on it.

Currently, crews are completing work on approximately two bridges per day.

Motorists should expect:

• Two-lane bridges reduced to a single-lane of traffic controlled by flaggers..
• Four-lane bridges reduced to two lanes with crossover traffic patterns in place.
• Sidewalks are closed when crews are working on adjacent lanes.
• Reduced speed limits.
• Delays up to 15 minutes.
• Wide loads may be restricted on a case-by-case basis. Visit 511mt.net for the most up-to-date information.

July 31, 2024

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and L&J Construction have begun work on the South of Missoula Bridge Preservation project. This project will see 38 bridges south of Missoula to Sula rehabilitated. This includes bridges on US Highway 93 (US 93), Secondary Highway 203 (S 203), Secondary Highway 531 (S 531), Secondary Highway 203 (S 203), and Bell Crossing West.

Work began on July 30 with mastic bridge end treatment and crack sealing on the East Fork Bitterroot River Bridge near Sula. This work was completed in a single day and crews then began working north. Work is anticipated to move quickly with most bridges taking less than a day to complete, weather and other factors permitting.

When construction begins, motorists can expect:

• Single-lane traffic controlled by flaggers on bridges with one lane in each direction.
• Four-lane bridges reduced to two lanes with crossover traffic patterns in place.
• Reduced speed limits.
• Delays up to 15 minutes.
• Wide loads may be restricted on a case-by-case basis for bridges. (Visit 511mt.net for the most up-to-date information.)