When crews start working on the Duck Creek Bridge, it will have to be closed.
For a lot of people, that means some alternate routes.
Those who use the bridge will have to cross the Yellowstone River by either traveling out to Laurel or toward Blue Creek Road across to South Billings Boulevard.
And while they say that that will be an inconvenience, they’re alright with that because the bridge needs repairs.
Duck Creek Road and the bridge are part of a key route for many who live south of the Yellowstone River.
“It's very convenient,” said Dr. Patrick Duey. “We're pretty lucky.”
But Dr. Dewey says he will have to come up with a new plan when he is on call at Billings Clinic and it will mean changes for his family with school and other activities.
“And the biggest thing is my parents are moving in from out of town,” Duey said. “It’s going to be a real bummer honestly, to make it difficult for them to get here.”
Some have brought up that it will take longer for emergency responders and school buses along with the extra expense of more fuel.
Others say it will be ok.
“My friend just told me that we can probably go back towards Laurel and then go back down (South) Frontage Road,” said Ricky Martinez, who lives near Duck Creek Road. “So that will make it a lot easier.”
Highway 212 in Laurel and Blue Creek Road across to South Billings Boulevard are the other possible bridges across the Yellowstone River.
Yellowstone County commissioners will vote on Tuesday on possibly paving a 4.3-mile stretch of South Keller Road to make it easier to get to Blue Creek Road.
“It's probably going cut about 25 miles off of that response and probably about 10 to 12 if you went up to Laurel and across that road and down Thiel Road and across,” said Tim Miller, Yellowstone County public works director.
Miller says the piers on the bridge need to be replaced.
“In ’23, we got a notice from (the Montana Department of Transportation) that the bridge crossing the Yellowstone River on Duck Creek Road was in critical scour condition,” Miller said. “And we have one pier that actually is eroded enough towards exposing what they call the seal.”
He says it's quite an engineering plan with piers going down to the bedrock.
The bridge will not have to be moved during the retrofit, but it will have to be closed for 30 to 60 days for each of the four piers.
“Let's get her fixed,” Duey said. “We'll get through it.”
“If they make the road, bridge safe, I think it'll be worth it,” Martinez said.
Miller said the county will seek bids for the project in September and construction could start in the fall or early spring.
