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Yellowstone Plans For Three Road Projects In 2020

A map shows where the new road projects will occur in Yellowstone National Park, starting in 2020.
Yellowstone National Park/Public Domain
A map shows where the new road projects will occur in Yellowstone National Park, starting in 2020.

Yellowstone National Park announced Tuesday a handful of big plans to chip away at its nearly $600 million maintenance backlog.

Yellowstone will spend more than $75 million on three road projects to improve safety and access.

One of the projects will close the road between Tower Fall and Chittenden Road until April 2022. According to the press release, crews will widen the road, provide additional pullouts and create a larger, safer parking lot at the Tower Fall General Store.

The other two projects will cause delays, not full closures. The North Entrance Road will get an additional lane and kiosk to improve traffic flow and reduce lines. Construction is expected to take two years.

On the East Entrance Road between Fishing Bridge and Indian Pond, crews will replace Pelican Creek Bridge with a viaduct to allow the wetland and creek to flow freely again. They’ll also finish a project from 2018 to improve Fishing Bridge’s deck and piers, improve the parking lot, widen the road and add turn lanes. The project is expected to wrap up fall 2020.

Most of Yellowstone’s nearly $600 million maintenance needs are related to roads. Funding for the new projects comes from the Federal Highway Administration, Yellowstone Forever, the National Park Foundation and fees collected in Yellowstone.

The park has received over 4 million visitors each year since 2015.

Yellowstone also announced this week it’s seeking public comment on a proposal to replace the Yellowstone River Bridge on the Northeast Entrance Road near Tower Junction. It is part of the only roadway open year-round.

Built in the early 1960s, park officials say the concrete deck, sidewalks and parapets have deteriorated. The deadline for comments is November 16th.

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.