Spring Repairs Planned for Flood‑Damaged Thompson Pass Road

The road that cuts through Thompson Pass in Sanders County is set to get repairs this spring, if the weather allows, 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 hit hard by floods in early December. The route, also called the Thompson Pass road, is currently closed and only opens seasonally. State transportation officials say they will fix the pavement and guardrails near the bridge. The goal is to have the road open for traffic by the end of summer, and a second project will try to prevent future flooding. No further details are available yet.In Lincoln County, a state‑owned bridge called the Farm to Market Bridge was destroyed in the same floods. Officials are now designing a replacement. Nine bridges were wiped out across the region, and Lincoln County is working on permits to rebuild two of the most important ones: Lower Granite Creek Bridge and Lake Creek Bridge. These bridges were heavily used by residents, with the former averaging 334 daily trips and the latter about 100. A community meeting will be held in Libby’s City Hall on Thursday at 6 p. m. to discuss recovery assistance and resources. The event will also be livestreamed, and people can register online or call the provided number for more information.