Whitefish closed the pedestrian bridge on East Second Street over Cow Creek earlier this month, citing decaying wood and erosion along the streambank. 

Maria Butts, director of Whitefish Parks and Recreation, said the creek bed has eroded at a rate of about 1 foot per year for the last 25 years. Evidence of this is visible on the east side of the bridge, where an extension, believed to have been built in 2000, is visible. The dramatic erosion has compromised the stability of the bank. 

“There have been a lot of environmental efforts to clean up Cow Creek,” Butts said. “Removing the bridge will cause less environmental impact to Cow Creek than constructing a new one. 

“We’re going to take that step first,” she said. “We know that we need to remove it.” 

One option the city is considering is to remove the bridge and widen the existing sidewalk on the south side of the street to an 8-foot shared use path that will connect with the bike path. The area would then be outfitted with benches so it could be utilized more like a park. 

Permits will be required to remove the structure, and if it should ever be rebuilt, permits will be required then, too. 

Any replacement bridge would have to be bigger than the existing one because of the dramatic rate of erosion. At this time, the department has no funds available for a reconstruction project, which is estimated to cost over $200,000.  

“This is the first year that we’ve been able to use resort tax dollars for bike path maintenance,” Butts said. “We have a plan for catching up and ... people will start to see a lot more, big bike path maintenance, but in the past, it’s only been for capital improvement projects.” 

Future development of this area will go through the Park Board of Commissioners and a public process, so the community can provide input. To receive notification of future Park Board agenda items visit https://www.cityofwhitefish.gov/703/Alerts-Notifications  

Contact the Parks and Recreation Department with any questions or concerns. 

    A worn path shows the popular way to travel along the sidewalk between East Second Street and the pedestrian bridge over Cow Creek. (Julie Engler/Whitefish Piot)