1963+2020s US-212 Bridges Over Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park, WY

(Satellite)\

The new 1,285' (392m) long bridge is 175' (53m) high and is expected to cost $118m. The 1963 bridge was 604' (184m). It is on the only road in the park that is plowed for winter use. [MyBigHornBasin]

Yellowstone National Park posted three photos with the comment:

What’s up with all the construction in Yellowstone?

With over 4.5 million visits to the park each year, our park roads and facilities receive a lot of wear and tear. Additionally, our window to do most of the maintenance and improvements happens during a short summer season.

Currently, one of the largest infrastructure improvement projects happening in the park is the replacement of the Yellowstone River Bridge. Located on the Northeast Entrance Road near Tower Junction, the original bridge from 1963 will be replaced with a brand-new bridge on a new alignment. The new bridge will be 1,175 feet long and 162 feet high, stretching over the Yellowstone River below. We are also expanding the Yellowstone River Picnic Area and overlook parking areas. This huge project, funded by the #GreatAmericanOutdoorsAct, is slated to be finished sometime in 2026!

Our goal is to keep Yellowstone in good shape for you and future generations. Learn more about the variety of infrastructure improvement projects occurring throughout the park at: go.nps.gov/YELLinfrastructure

Kevin Buck: What's next, an interstate highway through YNP with exits at all the major attractions? Where should we build a Wal-Mart with a massive parking lot?

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Douglas Rogers commented on the above post
Earlier this summer. Very impressive !

Michell Tuck commented on the above post
Pretty impressive! Took this a few weeks ago [Sep 2024] during our visit.

Robert Wolff: Michell Tuck Seriously, a bridge pillar on the outside turn of the river. Hope the footing of that pillar are deep, deep, deep. It would have been wiser to put the new bridge right next to the old bridge.

According to the comments on the post, they plan is to remove the old bridge and highway. So what will the bison use to get across the river?

Caren Walker commented on the above post, cropped
Yesterday’s (10/7[2024]) action on the old bridge.

Caren's comment was a video and this is another screenshot, cropped

I wonder how much extra it cost to build a bluff-to-bluff bridge rather than continue to go down and hill and back up on the other side.

1986/86 Tower Junction Quad @ 24,000

The current bridge.

nps, NPS/Doug Madsen

usgs