Yellowstone Insider Your Complete Guide to America's First National Park
The Craig Pass, which connects West Thumb Junction and Old Faithful, will open 7 a.m. Thursday, June 11 after months of construction.
“Crews have placed beams and paved the surface and approaches. We are on target to open the road on Thursday, with minor traffic delays up to 30 minutes,” said Mike Angermeier, Yellowstone landscape architect, in a National Park Service press release.
Construction crews toiled to remove the nearly 75-year-old Isa Lake Bridge and replace it with a new one. In addition, they widened the road in anticipation of current and future traffic volume.
Although Craig Pass will be open again, there will still be ongoing construction for the rest of the summer. Crews will be working on bridge railing and topsoil/seed-mulching, as well as adding road signs. They will also be working on completing the pedestrian area, improving two pullouts on the Craig Pass and creating an additional pullout northwest of the new bridge.
These projects are expected to end Sept. 10.
The Craig Pass will not be the only Park road undergoing construction this season. Work continues on a 5.4 stretch between Norris and Mammoth Hot Springs. Muddy conditions and 30 minute delays are expected. That project is projected to end by Oct. 1.
In addition, infrastructure work on the Gardiner Gateway Project continues, which is currently impacting travel through and around the North Entrance.
