MISSOULA — With the Northside Pedestrian Bridge closed for repairs, we have an updated timeline on when it could possibly reopen.
Built in 1999, the structure closed September 30th for the foreseeable future - posing a huge inconvenience for commuters.
Officials tells MTN News that due to rust and visual cracks, the bridge closed for safety concerns.
They have hired a local engineer firm to assess the damages and help determine an exact cost and project time line.
But the city says opening the bridge back up, is at the top of their priority list - acknowledging closure's inconvenience.
"And we're gonna go out to bed as quickly as we can this December and then hopefully by by January or February we will have a contractor in place to begin with repair of the structure here," said Parks Systems and Services Superintendent, David Selvage. "It's not our desired timeframe, but it's what our timeframe dictates now based on the closure, and this closure appears will be probably permanent until we get it repaired and replaced."
Since the bridge is an open air structure, officials believe the rust and cracks were caused by weather, such as snow melt and drainage issues.
