FAQs

Maclay Bridge is west of Missoula in the Target Range neighborhood. The one-lane bridge spans the Bitterroot River, connecting North Avenue to River Pines Road.

Public Works closed the bridge Jan. 26 after the Montana Department of Transportation informed the County on Jan. 25 that sections of the steel stringers supporting the bridge at each end are deteriorated, and the bridge can no longer carry traffic safely or reliably. It will be closed for the foreseeable future. Public Works staff will evaluate the feasibility and cost associated with repairing the bridge but may ultimately decide to close the bridge permanently. The bridge trusses were constructed in the 1920s and were placed at their current location in 1953. The bridge had a load limit of 11 tons prior to the closure.

Missoula County received notification from the MDT at 2 p.m. on Jan. 25 about the need to close the bridge as soon as possible. Staff made the decision to close the bridge beginning at 10 a.m. Jan. 26. This timeframe did not allow for the planning and outreach necessary for a public meeting before the bridge closure. Missoula County did reach out to area schools, emergency services and local news media and shared updates on social media to provide advance notice to the public on Jan. 25.

Public Works staff and engineers from HDR are evaluating the feasibility and cost associated with temporarily repairing the bridge but may ultimately decide to close the bridge permanently. The complexity and cost of needed repairs will determine whether temporary repairs are possible. Staff hope to know those details in the coming weeks.

The Montana Department of Transportation directed the County to close the bridge to all traffic, including pedestrian and bicycle traffic.  

No. The Maclay Bridge has not been part of any school bus routes for several years.  

Large firetrucks have not been able to cross Maclay Bridge for several years due to their weight and have been using detours to respond to calls on the west side of the river. As ambulances are not dispatched from a fixed location and often respond from variable places across the city and county, it is difficult to say how the Maclay Bridge closure will affect response times. If an ambulance is dispatched from the east side of the river, we anticipate a two-to-three-minute delay to detour around the Maclay closure.

A 2013 study demonstrated that replacing or rehabilitating the bridge at its current location would not meet safety standards due to alignment issues and other concerns. Funding through MDT’s Off-System Bridge Program is only available to construct the bridge at the South Avenue location; rehabilitating or replacing the bridge at its current location would need to be funded with local property tax dollars. 

The proposed South Avenue Bridge will connect South Avenue to River Pines Road, half a mile upstream from the Maclay Bridge.

Missoula County, in collaboration with MDT and the Federal Highway Administration, is in the process of completing an environmental document required for construction of the proposed South Avenue Bridge. Missoula County submitted draft environmental documents to MDT and FHWA in November 2022. Since then, Missoula County has received suggested edits to the documents and has responded quickly to the suggestions. The county, MDT and FHWA regularly communicate and coordinate to complete the documents necessary to move forward with a bridge project.

If FHWA signs the categorical exclusion for the South Avenue Bridge, MDT would manage the project through final design and construction with input from Missoula County. Construction of a new bridge is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2026. View MDT’s timeline for the bridge on the Bitterroot River Bridge project page (also referred to as the “South Avenue Bridge” project). The timeline can be found under “Links” on the right-hand side.

Federal and state gas tax funds through MDT’s Off-System Bridge Program will pay for the new bridge, which is estimated to cost $29 million with engineering, right-of-way acquisition, utility relocations, permitting, construction administration and construction. About 87% of the funding is planned to come from federal sources, with the State funding the remaining 13%. The County will provide a small amount of funding as well.

The Montana Department of Transportation has a federal aid program called the Off System Bridge program that counties apply for, and it is competitive. Missoula County successfully applied for the Off-System program and has already used some funding to cover the cost of preconstruction activities. MDT has the project funded for construction in 2026. The current schedule shows that is feasible, but there is little room for delay.

The environmental process can take longer when there is public opposition to a project. The County, MDT and FHWA need to ensure the environmental processes are completed accurately and are defensible in the event of a lawsuit. The complexity of this project and its impacts require more investigation, modeling and review than other projects might.

The schedule for a new bridge over the Bitterroot River will not change because of the existing bridge being closed. There are processes at the federal level that must be completed before construction can start, and the funding through MDT’s Off-System Bridge Program will not be available until 2026. The County will continue to encourage our MDT and FHWA partners to complete tasks in the preconstruction process efficiently.

In 2022, the Missoula County commissioners recommended removal of the Maclay Bridge as part of the proposed South Avenue Bridge Project. The commission was required to make a recommendation as part of the process for completing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation required for construction of the South Avenue Bridge. While this recommendation was non-binding, it would cost a considerable amount in property taxpayer dollars to raise and rehabilitate the bridge for nonmotorized use.    

The bridge will be offered up for adoption to any individual or group interested in adopting the bridge. The County is currently determining what actions would be necessary to keep the existing bridge in place in the event a group or individual adopts it. Adoption of the bridge could also include relocating the bridge somewhere else. Missoula County would not maintain or own the bridge in the event it is adopted.

Public Works is planning to pave portions of Blue Mountain and Big Flat Roads in summer 2024.

The Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization PO, City of Missoula, and Missoula County partnered to secure a Safe Streets for All federal grant to improve South Avenue from Reserve to Clements and Clements from South Ave. to North Ave. making the roadway a Complete Street. Construction should begin over the next few years. Click here to learn more about how South Avenue could be reconstructed for safer driving habits.