State hopes to reopen flood-damaged Back Loop Bridge by Tuesday

Repairs to Back Loop Bridge are performed by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Independent)

By Mark Sabbatini

Juneau Independent

State officials said Friday they’re hoping to reopen the flood-damaged Back Loop Bridge by Tuesday, about 10 days after beginning work and two weeks since the bridge was closed.

A record glacial lake outburst flood resulted in the bridge being closed the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 12, with damage occurring to an abutment wall, a section of paved surface and the riverbank, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. DOT officials have emphasized the main structure of the bridge remains stable.

The flood "scoured out an area about 16 ft deep x 50 ft long x ~120 ft wide — roughly 3,555 cubic yards, or about 300 dump-truck loads of material," a Facebook reel posted Friday by DOT states.

Repairs so far include using more than 5.7 million pounds of rocks to restore banks and road material, restoring power poles and installing a temporary fiber optic line to restore internet service to the vicinity. While Tuesday is the target reopening date for the bridge, full repairs — including paving — are expected to continue for a time afterward.

• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.