Yellowstone Opens Second Public Comment Session for Yellowstone River Bridge

The National Park Service has opened another public comment session on proposals to replace the Yellowstone River Bridge in Yellowstone National Park.

The bridge, built in the 1960s, is directly outside of Mammoth Hot Springs and only a few miles from the Northeast Entrance. The structure is deteriorating and the National Park Service is prioritizing visitor safety by looking into replacing the entire structure.

This will be a particularly ambitious project, similar to the construction that will continue at Fishing Bridge and Fishing Village this summer. But the bridge is part of the only set of Yellowstone roads that are open year-round. An Environmental Impact Statement is currently being worked on to evaluate three potential plans for the project. The preferred option is constructing a new 1,200-foot bridge and road in the same area as the existing one, but they won’t rule out keeping the current bridge intact. There is no word on if the bridge or the route will face a complete closure during the construction.

The Environmental Assessment is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2020, with a decision on the project the following summer. Public comment on the project is open until March 15th.

Comments may be submitted online at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/yrb, by hand-delivery, or by mail. Comments will not be accepted by fax, email, or by any other means.

Hand-deliver comments during business hours to: Albright Visitor Center, Attention: Yellowstone River Bridge EA, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.

Mail comments to: Compliance Office, Attention: Yellowstone River Bridge EA, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.