The pedestrian portion of Long Bridge connecting Sandpoint and Sagle reopened July 14 following emergency stabilization work that took less than six weeks to complete. The Idaho Transportation Department had closed the structure in mid-June after engineers identified deteriorating support infrastructure that posed a public safety risk.
A team of engineers, bridge inspectors, maintenance personnel, and a local contractor designed and installed custom steel support brackets—known as saddles—beneath the bridge deck at critical locations to reinforce damaged girders. The repairs allow safe passage while ITD continues evaluation and planning for additional work needed on the structure.
Ryan Hawkins, ITD District Engineer, cautioned that the reopening represents a temporary solution. “This is not a return to normal. The bridge remains in need of additional repairs in several locations, but the emergency stabilization work we’ve completed allows us to safely reopen access while we continue ongoing evaluation, planning and work.”
Safety Restrictions in Place
Users of the bridge must stay within designated areas. Unsafe portions remain marked with cones, barrels, and caution tape to direct foot and bicycle traffic away from compromised sections. Temporary traffic control devices currently in place will eventually be replaced with more permanent barriers, ITD officials said.
The 1956-era bridge was converted to pedestrian and bicycle use in 1981 when the current motorized Long Bridge opened. The crossing has served as a vital recreational route for the community, connecting the two communities across Lake Pend Oreille’s northern extension.
Survey Shows Heavy Recreational Use
A Project 7B survey conducted before the closure captured usage patterns across 732 respondents. The data underscored the bridge’s importance to the region’s outdoor lifestyle: 74 percent reported using it for recreational cycling, while 47 percent said they cross it for special occasions. About 31 percent use the bridge multiple times per week, and 19 percent reported weekly use during warmer months.
When asked whether the temporary SPOT bus route that launched during the closure addressed their transportation needs, only 9.4 percent of survey respondents said it fully resolved the issue for them. SPOT, the regional transit service, had introduced a cross-bridge shuttle between the Selkirk Loop Welcome Center in Sandpoint and the former Long Bridge Grill site in Sagle to maintain connectivity while the pedestrian bridge was closed. That temporary route was suspended on July 15, one day after the bridge reopened.
Residents interested in potential restoration of the cross-bridge SPOT service are encouraged to contact the transit agency at 208-263-3774 to express interest in the route’s return.
Community Events Resume
The reopening clears the way for the annual Long Bridge Swim, scheduled for Saturday, August 1. The summer tradition brings community members together for the popular open-water crossing event.
While the emergency repairs allow the bridge to reopen, ITD’s comments make clear that longer-term reconstruction or stabilization work remains on the horizon. The agency has not yet announced a timeline for those additional improvements or provided details on the scope of work still needed.
For updates on bridge conditions or future repair schedules, residents can contact ITD or monitor local news sources. The reopening represents a partial return to normalcy for Sandpoint and Sagle residents who rely on the crossing for daily recreation and community connection.