Blankenship bridge closed Friday
The Flathead River at Blankenship.
The Blankenship Bridge north of Columbia Falls will be closed to all thru-traffic on Friday, Sept. 27, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for necessary repairs.
An inspection by the Montana Department of Transportation earlier this summer prompted a structural analysis by Morrison-Maierle Engineering in August. The analysis revealed that the bridge required a temporary 5-ton weight restriction for safety until repairs could be completed.
Helena-based contractors, Missouri River Contractors/Frontier West, have been hired by Flathead County to perform the repairs at an estimated cost of $6,775. The work will begin with drilling a “stop hole” at the end of a 3-inch crack found at the base of a beam during MDT’s inspection.
Repairs are anticipated to be completed by the close of business on Friday, after which the bridge will be reopened.