Bench Road Bridge in Grant Creek

Bench Road Bridge, which crosses Grant Creek in the Wye area, was constructed in 1955 and though it is not load-restricted or scour critical, it does have a low sufficiency rating – 46.6 out of 100 – which is a way to rate a bridge’s structural adequacy, safety, serviceability and functionality. This bridge is often used by locals throughout the year.

Missoula County plans to replace the bridge, which will cost approximately $600,000, and applied for a grant from the Montana Coal Endowment Program (MCEP) to help fund the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER). Missoula County Public Works was not successful with the MCEP grant application, and will consider other alternatives to fund the PER.