Road to St. Anthony Dunes under construction
- posted: 08 May 2007
- scrollnews@byui.edu
ANTHONY SHEEHAN / scroll illustration
Construction on Salem Bridge will detour traffic to St. Anthony Sand Dunes between now and mid-December. An optional detour route, as shown above, takes travelers along 3000 North to the Hibbard Highway.
Those who frequent the St. Anthony Sand Dunes will experience detours on the Parker-Salem Highway during upcoming months. The highway, 1900 East in Fremont County, will be closed from May 4 to mid-December during construction on the Salem Bridge.
The area of construction will be from County Road 200 North, in Fremont, to County Road 350 North. Due to the extent of the construction, the area of closure will be from 500 North in Fremont County to 3000 North in Madison County.
Traffic will be detoured onto U.S. 20 to St. Anthony, through St. Anthony to 600 North, along 600 North and back to the Salem Road (1900 East). A west route will follow 3000 North in Madison County to the Hibbard Highway (1500 East), then travel north to 500 North.
The construction project will include demolition to the 54-year-old Salem Bridge, the construction of a new bridge and reconstruction of the surrounding roadway from milepost 5 to 6.5.
The reconstruction of the bridge will improve its 42.8 sufficiency rating given by Jorgenson Associates, PC, of Jackson, Wyo., in 2005. A sufficiency rating below 50 out of 100 indicated the bridge’s need for replacement.
The new bridge will also stand 2.5 feet higher. The added height will prevent flooding around the bridge caused by ice buildup in Henry’s Fork of the Snake River. Such buildups have caused a number of closures over the years, including a three-week closure last winter.
The Idaho Transportation Department is administering the project, which Fremont County is sponsoring with federal and county funds. ITD began advertising for bids last summer, but received nothing until March of this year after re-advertisement. Three companies submitted bids and Cannon Builders of Blackfoot was awarded the $4.23 million construction contract. 
