Beginning Tuesday, a portion of the Beartooth Highway (U.S. Highway 212) will be closed on weekday nights for construction work.

The highway will be closed between milepost 22.8 (just west of Ghost Creek) and 27.4 (just west of Beartooth Lake Campground) from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., Monday through Thursday. During that time period, no traffic will be allowed through the project site. There will be no overnight closures on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. The schedule will continue throughout the summer until further notice.

In the daytime, motorists should expect delays up to 30 minutes, Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. There is one-way traffic through the construction site, controlled by a pilot car and temporary traffic signals at each end.

“Please be patient and obey all traffic controls and watch for workers on the road. Be safe out there and help our crews stay safe,” the Central Federal Lands Highway Division of Federal Highway Administration, which is overseeing the project, said in a recent update.

The closures are part of a $27 million effort to rebuild a nearly 1-mile segment of the mountain route. Missouri River Contractors of Helena, Montana, is constructing a new 400-foot steel girder, a two-lane bridge spanning the Beartooth Ravine, straightening the roadway alignment, retaining walls, laying back slopes, installing drainage structures, and replacing the existing roadway surface in the area.

“The purpose of the project is to improve motorist safety while enhancing the driving experience for travelers on the Beartooth Highway,” the Federal Highway Administration said.

Missouri River Contractors has been working to excavate and prepare for the construction of the bridge’s substructure. Next up will be bridge drilled shaft work, slope excavation, temporary shoring and bracing, according to the update. The project is located about 14.5 miles east of the Beartooth Highway’s intersection with Wyo. Highway 296 (the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway).