Spring Repairs Planned for Flood‑Damaged Thompson Pass Road
The road that cuts through Thompson Pass in Sanders County is slated for repairs this spring—weather permitting—according to state transportation officials. A stretch of Montana Secondary 471 that runs over a bridge on Prospect Creek, between mile markers 16 and 22, was heavily damaged by floods in early December. The route, also known as the Thompson Pass road, remains closed and only opens seasonally.
Planned Repairs
- Pavement and guardrails near the bridge will be fixed.
- Goal: reopen for traffic by the end of summer.
- A second project aims to prevent future flooding.
No further details are available yet.
Other Bridge Damage
In Lincoln County, a state‑owned bridge called the Farm to Market Bridge was destroyed in the same floods. Officials are designing a replacement. Nine bridges were wiped out across the region, and Lincoln County is working on permits to rebuild two key ones:
| Bridge | Daily Traffic |
|---|---|
| Lower Granite Creek Bridge | 334 trips |
| Lake Creek Bridge | ~100 trips |
Community Meeting
A meeting will be held in Libby’s City Hall on Thursday at 6 p.m. to discuss recovery assistance and resources.
- The event will be livestreamed.
- People can register online or call the provided number for more information.
