Johnson Creek Bridge to be replaced
Construction of the new Johnson Creek bridge is set to start on Monday, Oct. 10, continue through February 2023. Built in 1957, the current treated timber structure will be replaced with a concrete bulb tree bridge.
(Photo courtesy U.S. FOREST SERVICE)
CLARK FORK — A bridge across Johnson Creek is set for replacement this fall, U.S. Forest Service officials said.
The bridge, which accesses Forest Service lands and private properties along the eastern shore of Lake Pend Oreille, has a reduced load capacity for large trucks and machinery. Passenger vehicles are still able to use the bridge.
USFS officials recommend that large trucks and vehicles, or heavy machinery that exceed the recommended load take alternate driving routes until construction is complete.
Johnson Creek Bridge, a treated timber structure built in 1957, is located at mile marker 0.71 on Johnson Creek Road, immediately south of the Clark Fork River delta. Located near the northeast corner of Lake Pend Oreille, near Highway 200, the bridge is located just west of Clark Fork.
Forest Service engineers identified structural deficiencies that necessitate a reduced load rating until the bridge can be replaced, officials said in a press release.
Construction, set to start in September and continue through May 2023, will replace the current structure with a concrete bulb tee bridge. The road segment will be closed entirely during construction. Until work begins, travelers with heavy trucks or machinery should contact road manager Joseph Heisel at 2080265-6619 to inquire about US Forest Service load permits.
For travelers southbound from Highway 200 driving to Lakeview, Cedar Creek, Whiskey Rock, and Granite:
The recommended detour from the north is taking Dry Creek Road/Forest Service Road 230 to High Drive Road/Forest Service Road 332, then tie back into Johnson Creek Road via Johnson Saddle Road/Forest Service Road 1066 to Forest Service Road 278/Johnson Creek Road. Alternatively, another detour would be Twin Creek Road/Forest Service Road 277 to Ruen Creek Road/Forest Service Road 1021 to High Drive Road/Forest Service Road 332, then tie back into Johnson Creek Road via Johnson Saddle Road/Forest Service Road 1066 to Forest Service Road 278/Johnson Creek Road.
These locations can be accessed from the south on Bunco Road/Forest Service Road 332 to Johnson Creek Road/Forest Service Road 278.
The Forest Service appreciates the public's tolerance of these temporary inconveniences while the needed upgrades are underway.