Business Loop I-90 - Missoula

The Missoula Business Loop for Interstate 90 travels 4.755 miles from I-90 at Exit 101 / U.S. 93 south and to Exit 105 / U.S. 12 through the Garden City. The business route doubles as U.S. 93 south along Reserve Street to Broadway Street at a folded diamond interchange. Southeast from an industrial area alongside a Montana Rail Link line, Business Loop I-90 follows the course of old U.S. 10 to the central business district. A short overlap with U.S. 12 from Madison Street east to Van Buren Street near the University of Montana returns Business Loop I-90 to Interstate 90 near Mount Jumbo.

East

An original reassurance marker for Business Loop I-90 was posted ahead of Palmer Street. Empty brackets below the shield remained from when U.S. 10 and 93 followed Broadway Street west out of Missoula. This assembly was replaced and traffic lights were added at the intersection with Palmer Street after 2006. 09/01/06

Just two blocks after the split with Front Street, Business Loop I-90 (Broadway Street) intersects U.S. 93 Business (Orange Street). Locally maintained, the business loop follows Orange Street south across the Clark Fork River to Stephens Avenue and U.S. 12 (Brooks Street). Orange Street north leads directly to Exit 104 of I-90. 09/01/06

An older overhead guide sign directs motorists southward along U.S. 93 Business to Hamilton, a remnant from when Orange Street was the U.S. 93 mainline. 09/01/06

This shield assembly, including a rare state-named trailblazer for I-90 and an erroneous U.S. 93 Business marker pointing to south only, was removed sometime after 2006 from Broadway Street east at Orange Street. U.S. 93 Business travels 2.3 miles overall, providing an alternate route to U.S. 12 through the University of Montana area between I-90 and U.S. 93 south to Lolo. 09/01/06

Business Loop I-90 (Broadway Street) continues from U.S. 93 Business (Orange Street) toward the Missoula County Court House at Woody Street. 09/01/06

U.S. 12 Business follows Higgins Avenue north from the U.S. 12 couplet of 5th and 6th Streets across the Clark Fork river to combine with Business Loop I-90 (Broadway Street) east in Downtown Missoula. 09/01/06

East

Reassurance markers follow for the 0.4 mile overlap between Business Loop I-90 and U.S. 12 Business east after Higgins Avenue. The pair share just five blocks of Broadway Street. 09/01/06

west

U.S. 12 parts ways with Interstate 90 for Van Buren Street south to Broadway Street (old U.S. 10/MT 200) west. The route doubles as the Missoula Business Loop for I-90. 09/01/06

Passing under the Interstate 90 mainline, Van Buren Street exits the Lower Rattlesnake valley community and nears the eastbound on-ramp for Butte. 09/01/06

The city of Butte is a 117 mile drive east along I-90/U.S. 12 from Van Buren Street in Missoula. A Montana Rail Link line exits the downtown area to parallel the freeway to East Missoula. 09/01/06

An older style U.S. 12 shield directs travelers onto Broadway Street west from Van Buren Street. Broadway Street leads east as the former route for U.S. 10-12 and MT 200 to Bonner. 09/01/06

Turning onto Broadway Street, Business Loop I-90 and U.S. 12 split at forthcoming Madison Street. 09/01/06

Business Loop I-90/U.S. 12 cross Rattlesnake Creek on a five lane boulevard ahead of Monroe Street. 09/01/06

U.S. 12 leads south from Missoula to combine with U.S. 93 to Lolo. There U.S. 12 turns west to Lewiston, Idaho while U.S. 93 maintains a southern heading to Hamilton. 09/01/06

Madison Street carries U.S. 12 south across the Clark Fork river to Arthur Avenue and a one way couplet of 5th Street (west) and 6th Street (east) by the University of Montana. 09/01/06

West

U.S. 12 Business takes over for U.S. 12 west from Madison Street as the counterpart to Business Loop I-90 into Downtown Missoula. The overlap between the two routes is five blocks. 09/01/06

A second shield assembly for Business Loop I-90/U.S. 12 Business west follows the intersection with Adams Street. 09/01/06

Broadway Street west at Pattee Street. 09/01/06

A pair of six story buildings line Broadway Street where U.S. 12 Business parts ways with Business Loop I-90 west for Higgins Avenue south. 09/01/06

Higgins Avenue carries U.S. 12 Business south across the Clark Fork river to rejoin U.S. 12 west at S 5th Street. 09/01/06

West

This reassurance marker, posted just west of Higgins Avenue and U.S. 12 Business, was removed after 2006. 09/01/06

The traffic light at Broadway and Ryman Streets at the southeast corner of the Missoula County Court House. 09/01/06

The Missoula County Court House fronts Broadway Street. Constructed between 1908 and 1910, the sandstone block building is topped with a clock tower that crowns an iron-clad dome. A two-ton bell within the tower chimes on the hour and half hour.1 09/01/06

One block further west from the Court House, Business Loop I-90 (Broadway Street) intersects U.S. 93 Business (Orange Street). A locally maintained route, the business route travels 2.3 miles between I-90 at Exit 104 and U.S. 12 (Brooks Street) via Stephens Avenue to the south. This assembly incorrectly shows U.S. 93 Business turning from Orange Street north onto Broadway Street west. It was replaced since 2006 and the new signs continue to show the error, but without the Business banner. 09/01/06

Waters of the Clark Fork river parallel Business Loop I-90 closely at May Street and the Montana Rail Link at-grade crossing. 09/01/06

Scott Street leads north from Broadway Street at this reassurance marker and traffic light to span a Montana Rail Link yard to the Northside neighborhood. 09/01/06

Broadway Street overtakes the west end of Toole Avenue at this set of mast arms. Traffic lights were added here after 2006. 09/01/06

A Business Loop I-90 shield appears after Toole Avenue along Broadway Street west. 09/01/06

Russell Street constitutes a through road south across the Clark Fork river to the Riverfront neighborhood and U.S. 12 (Brooks Street) at the Missoula County Fairgrounds. 09/01/06

Business Loop I-90 curves northward away from the Clark Fork river beyond Russell Street. 09/01/06

Birch Street leads west from Russell Street to become Mullan Road at the traffic light with Business Loop I-90 (Broadway Street). Mullan Road ventures west from Missoula through Grass Valley to Frenchtown and Huson. 09/01/06

Five lanes of Broadway Street serve industrial areas west of the Montana Rail Link line to U.S. 93 (Reserve Street). A reassurance shield follows the intersection with Raser Drive east and Latimer Street west. The assembly once held shields also for U.S. 10/93. 09/01/06

Business Loop I-90 next meets U.S. 93 (Reserve Street) at a folded diamond interchange. The business route combines with U.S. 93 north over the parallel railroad corridor for the return to Interstate 90. 09/01/06

Reserve Street doubles as U.S. 93 north I-90 at Exit 101 and south to the Orchard Homes community and U.S. 12 (Brooks Street) at Post. This set of overheads predates the U.S. 93 relocation from Downtown Missoula onto the commercialized bypass. 09/01/06

A Business Loop I-90 shield appears at the northbound entrance ramp to Reserve Street from Broadway Street west. U.S. 93 and the Business Loop overlap 1.2 miles to a diamond interchange with I-90/MT 200. 09/01/06

The ramp for U.S. 93 (Reserve Street) south follows as Broadway Street (old U.S. 10) continues west to Missoula International Airport. 09/01/06

Photo Credits:

09/01/06 by AARoads and Chris Kalina

Connect with:
Interstate 90
U.S. 12
U.S. 93

Page Updated 10-16-2013.