Going-to-the-Sun Road needs repair
By MICHAEL JAMISON of the Missoulian
Going-to-the-Sun Road: A mountain goat watches traffic on the famed Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park.
Photo by KURT WILSON/Missoulian
WEST GLACIER - Travelers hoping to cross scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road this summer could face delays, as highway crews repair recent damage and begin phase one of a multi-year reconstruction of the alpine route.
Last November, torrential rains flooded much of Glacier National Park's popular roadway, eroding large sections of blacktop in some places. East of Logan Pass, road crews report that parts of both lanes were lost in six separate locations, and park superintendent Mick Holm said fixing those washouts remains a top priority.
A temporary two-lane bridge will span the largest washout, near the east side tunnel, allowing crews to repair the roadbed beneath even as tourists pass above.
Many of the lower-elevation fixes already are complete, and Holm said he expects "minimal impacts" to travelers as a result of November's storm.
But even as that emergency work progresses, park officials are anticipating a much larger road construction schedule, the first part of a decade-long Sun Road overhaul.
Throughout the "core" summer season - June 15 through Sept. 17 - the Sun Road will remain open to two-way traffic, but with short delays. Crews will focus on a 3.5-mile stretch between the west side tunnel and Haystack Creek, all the while sharing the route with park visitors.
Motorists can expect daytime delays of no more than 30 minutes during the core summer season. Nighttime travelers, however, could be delayed as much as four hours if traveling between 10 p.m. Sunday and 6 a.m. Friday.
Flaggers and portable stoplights will route traffic through the construction, Holm said, but he advised overnight travelers to consider crossing the Continental Divide south of the park, on U.S. Highway 2.
During the "shoulder" seasons - early spring and late fall - highway crews will work longer hours, potentially causing more disruption to traffic. Holm said the road will remain open to Logan Pass, however, with access either from the east or west park entrances.
"It's possible motorists will not be able to drive the entire 50-miles of Sun Road during the shoulder seasons," said park spokeswoman Melissa Wilson, "but the pass should remain open, weather permitting."
Tunnel through the mountains: Tunnels and waterfalls are among the attractions of a drive over the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park.
Photo by KURT WILSON/Missoulian
In response to the long-term road reconstruction, park officials have authorized a free (and optional) shuttle system for those who wish to let someone else do the driving. Also new this year is a base for those shuttles, at the Apgar Transit Center, expected to open in July. That center, along with the St. Mary Visitor Center, will serve as a hub for new trip-planning kiosks, to help travelers traverse both the park as well as the construction zones.
The park also is designing new interpretive exhibits along the roadway, and will offer real-time traffic conditions and shuttle locations.
