Big Sky Times

The south bridge of U.S. Highway 89 in Paradise Valley, Mont., has reopened after flooding and related damage closed the main roadway into Gardiner, a community just outside Yellowstone National Park.

Interstate highways and main roadways were washed away and seriously damaged when heavy rainfall caused catastrophic flooding earlier this month. National and state parks, as well as numerous businesses, were forced to close to visitors, and an estimated 115 homes were damaged or destroyed. 

Workers with Montana Department of Transportation and area private contractors worked "around the clock" to repair the roadway, Gov. Greg Gianforte posted to Facebook June 23. 

“Great news — the US Hwy 89 bridge to Gardiner is OPEN,” Gianforte wrote in the post. “My hat’s off to our Department of Transportation employees and private contractors who worked around-the-clock to get this project completed. Paradise Valley is open for business.”

ABC/FOX Montana reported that Department of Transportation workers and private contractors worked 13-hour shifts, including on Father's Day, through June 19 to complete the repairs. Once repairs were made and the bridge reopened, Gianforte visited the area to survey the repairs, ABC/FOX Montana reported.

During his visit, Gianforte spoke with Colin Davis, owner of Paradise Valley’s Chico Hot Springs Resort and Spa. Davis said the spa has had 25% of its reservations cancel since the floods.

Davis said that now that the road has reopened, "the big thing is to get the message out."