Pete Skibsrud knew the rusting remnants of the Old Steel Bridge would be a burden to move, but that’s what Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wants to him to do — and soon.

The 140-foot span was part of the bridge that crossed the Flathead River east of Kalispell from 1894 to 2008. 

It has been sitting on property managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks adjacent to a modern bridge that replaced it in 2009.

Skibsrud purchased the span for $15,000 with the idea of putting it to use in the county’s trail system, and he was supposed to have it moved from the property in 2009. But that hasn’t happened, and state officials want it moved.

“We’ve given Pete a few years to come up with another option for it,” said Jim Vashro, regional fisheries manager. “Our concern is that it’s an attractive nuisance. We have it posted that people are supposed to stay off it, but we have people climbing on it all the time ... We’re concerned about the liability of allowing it to remain there.”

Skibsrud said he hoped to have it used as a crossing over the Stillwater River near Flathead Valley Community College, and a few years ago some progress was made toward that end. But it didn’t happen.

Now Skibsrud calls it “the biggest mistake of my life.” However, he is still hoping to put it to some kind of productive use.

“What I’d like to see happen is see it become a historic marker, maybe at a trailhead or as part of an interpretive center,” he said.

“If push comes to shove, I’ll cut it up in pieces and send it to China,” he added. “But that’s something I don’t want to do.”

Vashro said moving the bridge as it is would be extremely difficult, mainly because of its height, which he estimates to be about 30 feet.

That height adds to the liability potential in the event somebody climbs to the top span and falls, Vashro said.

There is no firm deadline to remove the bridge, but Vashro indicated it has becoming a more pressing matter.

“We’ve periodically asked him to come up with an option,” Vashro said. “He was recently called and reminded that we still need it off.”

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by email at jmann@dailyinterlake.com.