Upper North Fork Road work will start this summer; access impacted

For folks living in the upper end of the North Fork, the wait is over.

The last 5 1/2 miles of the road will see reconstruction this summer under a Federal Lands Access Program grant.

The project also includes putting asphalt millings down from the Going-to-the-Sun Road on Glacier Drive and around the Polebridge Mercantile area as well. Glacier Drive is the short road that runs from Polebridge to the Polebridge Entrance to Glacier National Park. It is in extremely poor condition and in the spring often has standing water that’s 2 feet deep or more.

In addition, some of the millings will be used to surface the remaining dirt section of the Blankenship Road from the bridge to Belton Stage Road, Flathead County Public Works Director Dave Prunty said.

The Sun Road millings will come from reconstruction of the highway from Lake McDonald to Lake McDonald Lodge.

The projects have been years in the making. A $5.33 million contract was recently awarded to Brice Inc., of Alaska. The company also has offices in the lower 48 as well.

In the North Fork, the public can expect delays through construction zones and after Aug. 6, only local traffic (residents and guests) will be allowed up the upper end of the North Fork Road. Folks wanting access the river will have to put in at Ford — the border put-in will be closed.

In addition, crews from Glacier Park will be screening folks trying to get into the Polebridge Entrance at the Polebridge turnoff to keep traffic at a minimum on Glacier Drive.

Folks can expect delays in Polebridge itself beginning on Aug. 14.

There will be no construction work before 8 a.m. and after 4 p.m., however.