BIGFORK, Mont. - It's time to celebrate! The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), Flathead County, Battle Ridge Builders, the Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork (CFBB) will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the new Bridge Street Bridge.
The in-person event will be held on the south side of the bridge at Sliter's Park, located at 291 Bridge Street, on Wednesday, June 25, at 11:45 a.m. Speakers will include Montana Governor Greg Gianforte; MDT Director Chris Dorrington; Flathead County Commissioner Pam Holmquist; representatives from Congressman Zinke's office; and Megan Schoultz, the President of the Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork.
"This event marks the completion of a lot of hard work and partnership by MDT, Battle Ridge Builders, Flathead County employees, and many others," Bob Vosen, MDT Missoula District Administrator, said. "We are excited to share this historic moment with the community and invite everyone to join in the celebration."
As part of the ceremony, Bigfork native, World War II veteran, and centenarian Donald "Bud" Robinson will lead a parade across the new bridge in a 1925 Model T, honoring a century of Bigfork's history.
Participants of a DIY Paper Lantern Craft event at the Flathead County Public Library - Bigfork are also invited to join the parade. The community is invited to visit the Library from June 17 to June 20 to create their lantern and then join the parade on the 25th.
"We are thrilled to celebrate this milestone together as a community, alongside our partners," said Rebekah King, Executive Director of the Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce and emcee for the event. "The event honors our community and connections and marks a bridge to Bigfork's future."
MDT, Flathead County, and contractor Battle Ridge Builders commenced work on replacing the historic Bridge Street Bridge in December 2024. The more than 100-year-old bridge faced severe corrosion issues, and its condition was beyond simple or temporary repairs. MDT and the County expedited the replacement of the bridge, a process complicated by numerous factors, including intricate engineering, utility relocations, right-of-way coordination, and environmental clearances.
Bridge Street will be closed to traffic for the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, June 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., from the intersection of Bridge Street with Bridge Street on the south side and just south of Mill Street on the north side of the bridge.
MDT is a workforce of over 2,000 people across Montana determined to do all we can so that you arrive at your destination safely. Our mission is to build, operate, and maintain a safe and resilient transpiration system. For more information, visit mdt.mt.gov.
Anyone needing a reasonable accommodation to participate in a Montana Department of Transportation project, service, or activity should contact the event organizer Sloane Stinson with Big Sky Public Relations at sloane@bigskypublicrelations.com, 406-207-4484 or Montana Relay Service at 711. Requests should be made at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled event. The department will make every attempt to honor requests made within 48 hours of a scheduled event or activity.
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