Yellowstone National Park was declared the U.S.’s first national park in 1872, establishing unprecedented protection for expansive geographic landscapes and abundant wildlife. The Yellowstone River Bridge project, located at the intersection of Northeast Entrance Road and Grand Loop Road in Yellowstone National Park, is replacing the existing 60-year-old bridge with a new 1,285-foot-long, 175-foot-high steel girder bridge. The work includes relocation of the Tower Junction intersection to about 700 feet southeast of its current location, realignment of about one mile of Northeast Entrance Road, and reconstruction of about .5 miles of Grand Loop Road. Parking, pullouts, and the Yellowstone River Picnic Area–located along the Northeast Entrance Road–will also be reconstructed to accommodate increased visitor use.
The project also involves a series of environmental improvements, including:
- Restoring Lost Creek to its natural channel and hydraulic system
- Returning nearby wetlands to pre-1960s conditions
- Placing living and nonliving plant materials in aquatic, riparian, and upland areas
- Removing an existing fish barrier
Due to the site’s location in a hydrothermally and geothermally active zone, construction requires the use of sulfate-resistant cement and thermal monitoring of below-grade concrete curing for bridge foundations.
The Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD) contracted with proHNS in 2023 to provide construction inspection services for the Yellowstone River Bridge project. Our team worked on-site in Yellowstone National Park, collaborating with contractors and other consultants to minimize disruptions to public park access while ensuring construction activities progressed on schedule.
