A Paint Job Is Cooling Down The New Bridge On Higgins
Remember all the way back to last week when we found out that the newly-built Beartracks Bridge on Higgins was getting too hot in the sun for dogs to walk on? Well, it looks like Missoula has acted quickly to try to fix the problem.
This week, workers painted a three-foot strip with white concrete stain on the path of the bridge, allowing animals and barefoot humans to walk safely without burning their feet. It doesn't take up the whole walkway, but there should be enough space for people looking to cross.
The white strip of paint could theoretically lower surface temperatures on the bridge by 20 to 30 degrees, which is a huge improvement over where it was at a week ago. This is still considered a temporary solution for now, And they apparently won't need to do the same for the other side of the bridge, which is still being constructed, because they're using concrete on that side rather than polymer.
We'll see if this ends up being a permanent solution or if Missoula will have to figure something else out in the weeks to come. But with temperatures set to hit the triple digits next week, it looks like we'll really be testing it out sooner rather than later.
When that kind of heat comes, lots of people will be traveling across the bridge to get to the river or to hang out in some kind of downtown business with air conditioning. Are you glad to be able to take your dog for a walk across the bridge again without having to worry?