Three Mobile Cranes Demolish Yellowstone River Bridge

Mountain Crane Service used three Liebherr mobile cranes to take down the old Yellowstone River Bridge in the national park, a job complicated by rugged terrain and environmental sensitivity.

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Mountain Crane Service, a Utah-based company with more than two decades in business, has finished demolishing the old Yellowstone River Bridge inside Yellowstone National Park. The company reports that it deployed three Liebherr LTM mobile cranes for the job: the LTM 1650-8.1, the LTM 1400-7.1, and the LTM 1110-5.1.

The LTM 1650-8.1 can lift up to 700 tonnes (770 US tons), while the LTM 1400-7.1 handles a maximum of 400 tonnes (500 US tons). The LTM 1110-5.1 is a five-axle, lightweight model featuring VarioBase, a variable support base system. Mountain Crane provided heavy lifting and rigging support to RLW Construction, which acted as the general contractor.

The bridge, situated near Tower Junction on the Northeast Entrance Road, had stood for more than 60 years. Demolition proceeded in stages: crews first removed the concrete deck, then dismantled the steel and concrete support elements.

Alongside the demolition, the project includes environmental restoration work. Former roadway sections have been removed, wetlands in the area are being rehabilitated, and Lost Creek is being returned to a more natural channel.

Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the United States, covers roughly 3,460 square miles across Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho and draws over 4 million recreational visitors each year. Mountain Crane Service operates a fleet of more than 100 cranes.