Road crews on the Going-to-the-Sun Road this summer will reinstall sections of railing that were destroyed by avalanches/NPS

Plowing operations are under way at Glacier National Park, where crews are working to clear the Going-to-the-Sun Road of the winter's snowfall. Once that work is done, construction on parts of the iconic parkway could create some delays for travelers this summer.

The plowing operations are starting this week at Lake McDonald Lodge on the west side of the park. Next week, they will begin on the east side at St. Mary.

Once the road is open to traffic, road crews will start working on improvements between West Glacier and Avalanche. That work will include improving turnouts and reconstructing the roadway between the West entrance station and the Apgar Loop Road near the Apgar Picnic Area. Beginning September 5, traffic along the Going-to-the-Sun Road will be detoured through the Apgar Village area to facilitate that roadway construction. This work is expected to conclude in May 2018.

Removable railing work west of Logan Pass, in the alpine section of the road, will also occur this summer. The railing work will replace segments that were destroyed by avalanches in 2014. Motorists can expect delays of up to 30 minutes at work zones throughout summer and into fall.

There will be a full vehicle closure October 9-21 at the four-way intersection at Apgar. This means that October 8 will be the last day to access Logan Pass from the west side for the season. Usually, Logan Pass access ends following the third Sunday of October.

Among the projects crews at Glacier National Park will tackle this summer is replacemet of a culvert along the Going-to-the-Run Road on the west side of the park/NPS

The closure will enable a significant culvert replacement project approximately four miles up to Lake McDonald. The culvert has washed out several times over the past five years, including twice last year and once already this year, causing temporary road closures. Vehicles will still be able to access the Apgar Visitor Center and Apgar Village from the West Glacier entrance, and Logan Pass from the St. Mary entrance (likely through the third Sunday in October). Hiker/biker access beyond the culvert work site will likely not be possible during this period. On October 21, the road will reopen again as far as Avalanche, as is typical for the fall season.

Until May 26, Avalanche Campground Road will be restricted Monday-Friday to all but administrative traffic while the footbridge across Avalanche Creek is completed. It will again be restricted beginning at noon September 18 to allow for reconstructing and widening the approach into the campground.

Kiosk work at the St. Mary entrance station also continues this spring, and is expected to be completed in late May to early June. Access beyond Hudson Bay Road (mile marker 1.5) from the entrance station will continue to be restricted until April 14. After that, visitors who enter the park from St. Mary will be routed through the St. Mary Visitor Center to pay entrance fees and collect park information until the kiosks are completed.

For up-to-date road status, including information about hiker/biker opportunities beyond closed gates, visit this site. Hikers and bikers accessing roads this spring beyond closed gates should be alert to avalanche zones, wildlife, plowing equipment, rockfall, ice, and challenges summoning emergency help in these remote areas without cellular service.