Maclay Bridge Reopened June 11

Missoula County reopened the Maclay Bridge west of Missoula on June 11.

Missoula County Public Works completed the necessary repairs to allow traffic back on the bridge, and engineering firm HDR has inspected the repairs. Crews started resurfacing the bridge with asphalt this morning, and it will reopen to traffic, bikes and pedestrians later this afternoon.

The weight limit for the bridge remains at 11 tons for now. The Montana Department of Transportation plans to complete an inspection to evaluate that limit.

Though the repairs allowed the County to reopen the one-lane bridge, placed at its current location in 1953, these repairs are not intended as a long-term fix. Construction on a new bridge upstream that would connect South Avenue to River Pines Road is tentatively slated to begin in 2026. More information on the South Avenue Bridge is  online. 

We know the bridge closure has been a major disruption, and we appreciate your patience as staff worked to reopen it.