Brigham City opens Forest Street overpass after final construction delay

Brigham City opened the Forest Street overpass to public traffic at 8:00 a.m. on July 31, 2026, after crews finished the remaining work on the south parapet wall.

The opening ended the main Forest Street construction closure and put a grade-separated crossing over the railroad tracks into public use. The broader roadway project is not fully finished: Brigham City says a later phase will extend American Way beneath the overpass and connect it to 950 West.

Traffic opening followed a separate ceremony

The July 31 traffic opening was different from the July 7 ribbon cutting. Brigham City described the earlier event as ceremonial, with parapet walls, lighting and other finishing details still remaining before vehicles could use the overpass.

The city’s June 26 project announcement anticipated a mid-July traffic opening after the ceremony and final preparations. That timeline was later superseded. On July 27, the city said the opening was delayed while crews completed finishing work on the south parapet wall. A July 30 notice then said barricades would be removed at 8:00 a.m. the following day.

What the opening changes

Forest Street users can now cross above the railroad tracks instead of using the former at-grade crossing on that route. The overpass provides a separate roadway path intended to avoid delays caused by trains crossing Forest Street.

The city has also cited emergency-response concerns in explaining the project. At the July 7 ceremony, city officials said trains had sometimes delayed or forced emergency vehicles to detour while responding to incidents. The available project information does not establish that the overpass will eliminate every railroad-related delay, but it documents the purpose of separating Forest Street traffic from the tracks.

For nearby residents, businesses and workers, the immediate practical change is the return of Forest Street access after a closure that began in January 2025. The city has not provided traffic-volume or travel-time estimates in the notices used for this report.

American Way connection remains pending

The bridge opening does not mean all surrounding work is complete. Brigham City says the next phase will extend American Way under the overpass and connect it to 950 West. That connection remains future work, so drivers should distinguish the currently open Forest Street overpass from the unfinished broader roadway network.

UDOT record identifies the project separately

The Utah Department of Transportation independently identifies the work as the Forest Street Parkway Extension in Brigham City, Box Elder County. UDOT’s project record is dated June 30, 2026, and lists the project as completed with 100% completion. Because that record predates the city’s July 31 public traffic opening, it verifies the project’s identity, location and earlier status rather than serving as proof of the later opening.

As of June 30, UDOT lists $500,000 in total project funding and $569,475 in total expenditures. Those are separate figures in the state record, which also lists a $370,884 construction contract amount. The available sources do not explain the difference between total funding and total expenditures.

Drivers can now use the Forest Street overpass over the railroad tracks. The American Way extension beneath the bridge and its connection to 950 West remain pending.

Sources

• Forest Street Overpass project updates
• Forest Street Parkway Extension project details