Juneau’s Back Loop Bridge is back open for traffic two weeks after suffering damage from Juneau’s record-breaking glacial outburst flood.
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities announced Tuesday that the emergency bridge work is complete. Engineers say the bridge is safe for the public.
The department closed the bridge as a precaution before the annual glacial outburst flood, which eroded the riverbank nearby and damaged an abutment wall. Hundreds of homes along the Mendenhall River were spared from damage because of the temporary levee the city installed this spring and summer. Several homes still saw significant damage.
According to the department, there will be a gravel approach to the bridge in place for a short period. They say to expect potential intermittent lane closures and crews on-site as they begin asphalting and paving the area as soon as next week.
The department says there will be more permanent river work and bank stabilization surrounding the bridge in the coming months.
