Preliminary plans for a replacement for the highway to serve the north side of Mount St. Helens were approved by the state government in 1986. The highway would include of new road built at a higher elevation between Kid Valley and the newly formed Coldwater Lake, crossing over various creeks with ten major bridges. The project's $118 million cost (equivalent to $ in 2019 dollars) was paid from emergency funds from the Federal Highway Administration. Construction of the new highway and its scenic viewpoints began in 1988 and the first section to the Coldwater Ridge visitor center was completed on October 16, 1992. The expected influx of tourists and their potential impact on the recovering habitat around the volcano alarmed scientists looking to preserve areas for sensitive research. After finding that elk herds were leaving areas with improved highway access, the Forest Service established restricted zones within the national monument that prohibited off-trail hiking, pets, fires, and camping.