Montana

[andy3175]

A recent Great Falls Tribune article (6/8/2017) describes planned construction activities around Montana this summer. Here, I've summarized eight projects highlighted in that article.

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2017/06/08/eight-highway-construction-projects-you-should-aware-summer/378890001/

1. Interstate 15 NW of Great Falls between Emerson Junction and Manchester pavement reconstruction/replacement of 50-year-old pavement at a cost of $8.75 million

2. Multiple Helena-area projects: Capital/Cedar Street Bridge in Helena, replacement of rail line overpass, and addition of Interstate 15 traffic lane at a cost of $25.07 million

3. Multiple Great Falls-area repaving projects: 8th Avenue North (between 15th and 26th Streets), Overlook Drive, south-central arterials (13th Street, 24th Avenue South and 26th Street South) at a cost of $5.27 million

4. U.S. 87 road surface repaving between Raynesford and Geyser (32 miles NE of Great Falls) a cost of $3.50 million

5. U.S. 89 road reconstruction north of 3.7-mile segment north of Bynum including fencing and cattle guards at a cost of $4.26 million (the article notes that this project is "the continuation of a multi-year effort to rebuild Highway 89 along its entire length from Dupuyer to Fairfield –  a scenic route but one that was narrow, curvy and fell well short of 21st century standards. 'It was a horrible road before we reconstructed it,' (an MDT spokesman) said. 'A lot of it was built in the mid-1930s. We’ve got the worst of the worst done now, and we’re actually working on the design of the Choteau north project.'"

6. U.S. 89 new culvert installation (along with road improvements) west of Browning at a cost of $7.43 million

7. Multiple Havre projects, including the 7th Ave Bridge (north of Main Street over the BNSF Railway tracks) and the junction between U.S. 2 and U.S. 87 (includes new sidewalks and accessibility improvements) at a cost of $2.83 million

8. Secondary Highway 409; converting 6-mile gravel road into paved road from Chester north toward the Canadian border at a cost of $3.61 million

For up-to-date road conditions and information on potential highway road construction delays, log on to the Montana Department of Transportation’s road report at roadreport.mdt.mt.gov/travinfomobile/

[Billy F 1988]

Russell Street Bridge in Missoula. Self explanatory. The thing is crumpling very slowly. It's needing a much needed upgrade despite the interruption of traffic.

[Dougtone]

Let's take a drive down MT 135, the St. Regis-Paradise Scenic Byway in western Montana. It's often considered to be a scenic shortcut to Glacier National Park from I-90.
https://www.gribblenation.org/2019/12/st-regis-paradise-scenic-byway.html

[Dougtone]

Let's take a trip down US 93 through the Flathead Valley and along the Mission Mountains between Whitefish and Missoula.

https://www.gribblenation.org/2020/01/us-93-in-montana-from-flathead-valley.html

[Billy F 1988]

I have officially deduced that Missoula's area roadways are annoying as POOP to drive on at the afternoon hours every day.

(Yes, Broadway. That means you!) >(

[Tom958]

Just making a note: this 1981 bridge over I-90 just west of Big Timber has a hog wire fence atop the usual jersey barrier. I've never seen hog wire on a bridge before, let alone on one on an Interstate highway. 

[Kniwt]

The Billings Gazette reports that a bridge built across the Yellowstone River in 1931 along old US 10 (paralleling I-90 between Reed Point and Columbus) has been closed due to fears of imminent collapse.
https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/old-yellowstone-river-bridge-may-soon-collapse-river-closed-near-span/article_7694168e-82d8-54fe-9881-18326dd5dddb.html

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks closed a 200-yard stretch of the Yellowstone River east of Reed Point Monday because an old highway bridge is in danger of collapsing into the water.

The Montana Department of Transportation informed FWP this week that the Twin Bridges Road bridge is close to failing.

About half of one of the bridge piers located in the main channel of the river has been scoured away, said Stephanie Brandenberger, a bridge engineer for MDT.

... The bridge was built in 1931. The concrete and rebar footings are original, so they've lasted for 90 years as the Yellowstone River battered them with debris and high water.

[Billy F 1988]

The Billings Gazette reports that a bridge built across the Yellowstone River in 1931 along old US 10 (paralleling I-90 between Reed Point and Columbus) has been closed due to fears of imminent collapse.
https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/old-yellowstone-river-bridge-may-soon-collapse-river-closed-near-span/article_7694168e-82d8-54fe-9881-18326dd5dddb.html

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks closed a 200-yard stretch of the Yellowstone River east of Reed Point Monday because an old highway bridge is in danger of collapsing into the water.

The Montana Department of Transportation informed FWP this week that the Twin Bridges Road bridge is close to failing.

About half of one of the bridge piers located in the main channel of the river has been scoured away, said Stephanie Brandenberger, a bridge engineer for MDT.

... The bridge was built in 1931. The concrete and rebar footings are original, so they've lasted for 90 years as the Yellowstone River battered them with debris and high water.

Yikes.  I don't like the look of the eroded concrete showing the rebar. They better figure out how to at least rebolster the structure or get a new one in place soon. Good call by MDT to shut it down before any vehicle crossed it and fell into the freezing cold Yellowstone.

[FrCorySticha]

Yikes.  I don't like the look of the eroded concrete showing the rebar. They better figure out how to at least rebolster the structure or get a new one in place soon. Good call by MDT to shut it down before any vehicle crossed it and fell into the freezing cold Yellowstone.

I have a feeling MDT is just going to tear it down. The bridge allows access to a couple houses and ranches along a short stub of the old highway between the river and interstate. It would be easier and cheaper for MDT to work with Montana Rail Link to allow them to use the railway access road under the interstate.

[Plutonic Panda]

Major overhaul of dangerous I-90 bridge in Yellowstone County scheduled for fall

It's called the 1-90 Yellowstone River project, and it will mean big improvements to an approximate 2.6 mile stretch of the interstate between the 27th Street exchange and the Lockwood exchange, adding a third lane in each direction.

Full article here: https://www.kbzk.com/news/local-news/major-overhaul-of-dangerous-i-90-bridge-in-yellowstone-county-scheduled-for-fall

[andy3175]

Article about existing and desired safety improvements along US 93:

https://missoulian.com/opinion/columnists/complete-highway-93-corridor-to-save-lives/article_8e9f2c11-3158-5463-a0bc-0f7966eb72e8.html

Polson and Evaro, with all its animal underpasses, overpass and fencing with jump-outs, has been a godsend for the safety of the animals that must traverse the highway and for the motorists who travel 93 and can now worry less about the trauma of hitting an animal. The Salish-Kootenai Tribes, Jones & Jones Architects, Montana Department of Transportation and all the others who played a part in the design and construction of this very efficient road must be proud. It is one of the most animal-friendly highways in the world – except for the unfinished 9.2 miles between Ronan and Post Creek.

For about 15 years, this part of 93 has remained undone due to unanswered questions of how to complete the highway through this complex area – complex because of streams, Ninepipes Reservoir and politics. Difficult, I'm sure. But, in the meantime, the adage "Pray for me, I drive 93"  still applies. It's a dangerous area. And not just for humans.

[abqtraveler]

The Billings Gazette reports that a bridge built across the Yellowstone River in 1931 along old US 10 (paralleling I-90 between Reed Point and Columbus) has been closed due to fears of imminent collapse.
https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/old-yellowstone-river-bridge-may-soon-collapse-river-closed-near-span/article_7694168e-82d8-54fe-9881-18326dd5dddb.html

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks closed a 200-yard stretch of the Yellowstone River east of Reed Point Monday because an old highway bridge is in danger of collapsing into the water.

The Montana Department of Transportation informed FWP this week that the Twin Bridges Road bridge is close to failing.

About half of one of the bridge piers located in the main channel of the river has been scoured away, said Stephanie Brandenberger, a bridge engineer for MDT.

... The bridge was built in 1931. The concrete and rebar footings are original, so they've lasted for 90 years as the Yellowstone River battered them with debris and high water.

Yikes.  I don't like the look of the eroded concrete showing the rebar. They better figure out how to at least rebolster the structure or get a new one in place soon. Good call by MDT to shut it down before any vehicle crossed it and fell into the freezing cold Yellowstone.

MDT just awarded a $2 million contract to demolish this bridge on Thursday. Per the contract specifications, the contractor must have the river spans (2 through 4) removed by May 15th, and the remainder of the bridge removed by end of summer timeframe.  They relocated the family that resided on the east side of the river, to eliminate the need to build a new bridge in its place.

[Kniwt]

The Missoulian reports on a plan to rebuild MT 200 through East Missoula:

https://missoulian.com/news/local/highway-200-corridor-plan-through-east-missoula-could-bring-major-traffic-changes/article_17c95b0e-0f60-507d-a92d-4e954ea0c371.html

It is ambitious and not yet funded, but plans for a massive project to reshape Highway 200 from Van Buren Street to Tamarack Road are chugging along.

The project, called the East Missoula-Highway 200 Corridor Plan, was presented at a Public Works committee meeting Tuesday. It calls for a reconstructed railroad bridge near the I-90 interchange, as well as increased parking near the Sha-Ron River Access Point, a popular recreation area in the warm months of the year.

Trails, potentially two roundabouts and major changes to the main stretch through East Missoula around Randles Street and Clyde Street are also in the plan, which at this stage is mostly conceptual.

... The plan is still conceptual, meaning there has not been preliminary engineering or surveying done. In a city document outlining the probable costs for the preferred way the project would be done, the price tag would come out to around $31 million.

[andy3175]

Montana Secondary Highway 269 is under construction and planned for additional improvements:

https://mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/southstevi/

Designed to save lives and prevent serious crashes, this project will enhance roadside safety along Highway 269 and the Eastside Highway The Stevensville Safety Improvements project will begin just north of the intersection of North Birch Creek Road and the Eastside Highway and will extend 5.9 miles north to the Pine Hollow Road intersection.

The proposed work plan currently includes widening the existing roadway by adding four-foot shoulders on both sides of the highway and flattening the roadside slopes with sections of guardrail being constructed along the route. Additionally, a new flashing signal will be placed at Bell Crossing,and Willoughby Lane will be realigned to better facilitate safe travel at the intersection. Utility upgrades and bridge replacements will occur throughout the project. Upon completion, the roadway will be sealed and have new pavement markings and signs.

An article related to the first phase of work outlines the need for this project:

https://www.montanarightnow.com/missoula/construction-begins-on-one-of-montanas-most-dangerous-stretches-of-highway/article_ff4862c0-dcb7-11ea-8337-877c24e1619a.html

The Montana Department of transportation is starting the first phase of construction on one of the most dangerous stretches of highway in the state. 

The first phase of construction will start on the Eastside Highway, Highway 269, as part of the Stevensville Safety Improvement Project. Traffic will be down to one lane as crews will be out surveying underground utilities south of Bell Crossing at Willoughy Creek and Web Foot Ditch. ...

From 2003 to 2017, there were over 400 collisions, six fatalities and over 20 serious injuries. To improve this area, MDT plans to widen the existing roadway to include four foot shoulders, adding a new flashing signal at Bell Crossing, and realigning Willoughby Lane to better facilitate safe travel at the intersection.

Full roadway construction for Stevensville Safety Improvements project is slated to begin in the spring of 2021 with the possibility of intermittent lane closures occurring this fall. Construction will begin just north of the intersection of North Birch Creek Road and the Eastside Highway and will extend 5.9 miles north to the Pine Hollow Road intersection.

The roadway has recently seen its share of accidents including this fatal accident:

https://www.kpax.com/news/ravalli-county/stevensville-teenager-dies-woman-injured-after-head-on-crash-friday-night

A 17-year-old male from Stevensville is dead and a 20-year-old Great Falls woman is injured after a head-on collision near Corvallis on Friday (March 5, 2021).

The Montana Highway Patrol reports that at around 8:23 p.m., the 17-year-old was driving a Volkswagen southbound on Highway 269 and attempted to negotiate a right hand curve when he lost control. The vehicle went into the oncoming lane of traffic and hit a Dodge Ram pulling a horse trailer head on.

SM-G975U

[andy3175]

Ticketing system temporarily in place on Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park:

https://www.travelawaits.com/2563025/glacier-national-park-going-to-the-sun-road-ticket-2021/

The National Park Service expects large crowds in all parks this year because people are looking for outdoor activities and excursions as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. In a proactive move, officials at Glacier National Park announced the park will implement a vehicle entry reservation system for its popular Going-to-the-Sun Road to ease crowding and road congestion. Tickets will be required from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

"We just felt like the ticketed entry would get us a couple of things,"  park spokeswoman Gina Kerzman said, an 8KPAX article reports. "First, we would reduce the congestion in the park, and it would also prevent us from having backups on Highway 2. It also would allow our visitors to have a more quality visit and also allow us to protect resources since we expect a high number of visitors this summer."

Glacier National Park, which the NPS calls the Crown of the Continent, is known for its rugged mountains, spectacular lakes, and more than 700 miles of trails. One of the park's most popular attractions is the Going-to-the-Sun Road, an almost 50-mile scenic road that makes its way through the park -- and even crosses the Continental Divide at Logan Pass.

The flip side of the coin is that the park has a rapidly growing number of visitors. In 2019, for example, Glacier National Park was the tenth most-visited national park in the country -- with more than three million visitors, according to NPS.

Indeed, in 2019, approximately 2.6 million visitors visited the park between June and September. The park's busiest month is July, and in July of 2019 alone, roughly 900,000 people visited the park. What's more, even though visitation was down last year due to the pandemic, the park still saw significant crowds.

"We have the making of a perfect storm this season,"  Park Superintendent Jeff Mow said in a statement, the KPAX article reports. "Not only do we have ongoing COVID-19 mitigations and reduced staffing, we are also facing construction delays inside and around the park. The goal [of the ticket reservation system] is to maximize access while avoiding congestion that results in temporary closures of park entrance gates."


In 2020, Glacier National Park had temporary closures 29 times in 25 days at the park's West Entrance, which resulted in backups along Highway 2, an NBC Montana article reports. Implementing the ticketed entry system increases the certainty that visitors will be able to enter the park.

Here's how the system will work: Visitors will need to purchase -- in advance and in addition to park entrance fees -- a vehicle entry reservation ticket to enter the 50-mile-long Going-To-The-Sun Road corridor at the West Glacier and St. Mary entrances from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. The system will take effect Memorial Day weekend and continue through Labor Day weekend.

What the system will hopefully prevent is what NPS calls a "worst-case scenario"  -- in which "visitors may endure 40-minute construction delays on Highway 2 traveling to the park, arrive at the west entrance to find that entry is temporarily closed, and then have to endure another 40 minutes of construction delays to return to the Flathead Valley or head to the east side of the park on Highway 2."

SM-G975U

[Plutonic Panda]

I am not happy at all by this precedent and I'm worried it won't be temporary. I don't like reserved camping and now they're doing this same thing in the Rockies NP. Deal with the congestion. You aren't the only one who should just be lucky enough to have gotten a reservation. That wasn't how the national parks were supposed to be.

[Billy F 1988]

I realize how frustrating this can be. However, since I am a Montana resident myself, I don't live in the Flathead Valley so I can't really give an honest response to the potential backlash the NPS and GNP will encounter. I don't know if this kind of system will spill over to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Badlands, etc. or if this is exclusive to GNP. I've never been on Going-to-the-Sun Road, nor have I traveled up to U.S. 2 towards the West Entrance to even get a glimpse as to how you get from the West Entrance over to the other side of the divide back towards Cut Bank.

[Rothman]

Given how crowded the road is during the tourist season, a ticketing system seems like a good idea given the circumstances of maintenance and construction.

[FrCorySticha]

The last decade or so has brought about a lot of recognition of Glacier that wasn't there before. It seemed to be the forgotten park in the shadow of Yellowstone, but that has changed quite a bit. This has led to many more vehicles crossing Going-to-the-Sun Road than it ever was designed to handle. Perhaps this ticket system will allow for being able to enjoy the ride again without the excessive traffic.

I was thinking that I need to spend a couple days camping in Glacier this summer. That'll give me the excuse to check out the ticket system.

[Plutonic Panda]

The last decade or so has brought about a lot of recognition of Glacier that wasn't there before. It seemed to be the forgotten park in the shadow of Yellowstone, but that has changed quite a bit. This has led to many more vehicles crossing Going-to-the-Sun Road than it ever was designed to handle. Perhaps this ticket system will allow for being able to enjoy the ride again without the excessive traffic.

I was thinking that I need to spend a couple days camping in Glacier this summer. That'll give me the excuse to check out the ticket system.

No one has a right to a national park someone else doesn't have because they weren't able to get a ticket. If you want seclusion there are time of places to have it.

[Rothman]

The last decade or so has brought about a lot of recognition of Glacier that wasn't there before. It seemed to be the forgotten park in the shadow of Yellowstone, but that has changed quite a bit. This has led to many more vehicles crossing Going-to-the-Sun Road than it ever was designed to handle. Perhaps this ticket system will allow for being able to enjoy the ride again without the excessive traffic.

I was thinking that I need to spend a couple days camping in Glacier this summer. That'll give me the excuse to check out the ticket system.

No one has a right to a national park someone else doesn't have because they weren't able to get a ticket. If you want seclusion there are time of places to have it.

So, what's your solution to the issue at hand, then?

[Plutonic Panda]

The last decade or so has brought about a lot of recognition of Glacier that wasn't there before. It seemed to be the forgotten park in the shadow of Yellowstone, but that has changed quite a bit. This has led to many more vehicles crossing Going-to-the-Sun Road than it ever was designed to handle. Perhaps this ticket system will allow for being able to enjoy the ride again without the excessive traffic.

I was thinking that I need to spend a couple days camping in Glacier this summer. That'll give me the excuse to check out the ticket system.

No one has a right to a national park someone else doesn't have because they weren't able to get a ticket. If you want seclusion there are time of places to have it.

So, what's your solution to the issue at hand, then?

We don't need a solution. Neither you or I have a right to a national park someone else doesn't have. Expect congestion and other people. If there are none then enjoy but don't be mad because other people want to experience the things you want to.

FWIW, I spend months every year exploring and camping in our national parks and forest. I love the outdoors and believe me when I tell you I have found my myself irritated at times by large crowds, traffic congestion, tourist doing stupid shit, or things like driving endlessly up and down UT-128 looking for a camping spot along the Colorado because they're all taken. Make reservations at Disney world or renting hotels and cabins. Entering our parks and camping? Leave that alone.

[Rothman]

The last decade or so has brought about a lot of recognition of Glacier that wasn't there before. It seemed to be the forgotten park in the shadow of Yellowstone, but that has changed quite a bit. This has led to many more vehicles crossing Going-to-the-Sun Road than it ever was designed to handle. Perhaps this ticket system will allow for being able to enjoy the ride again without the excessive traffic.

I was thinking that I need to spend a couple days camping in Glacier this summer. That'll give me the excuse to check out the ticket system.

No one has a right to a national park someone else doesn't have because they weren't able to get a ticket. If you want seclusion there are time of places to have it.

So, what's your solution to the issue at hand, then?

We don't need a solution. Neither you or I have a right to a national park someone else doesn't have. Expect congestion and other people. If there are none then enjoy but don't be mad because other people want to experience the things you want to.

FWIW, I spend months every year exploring and camping in our national parks and forest. I love the outdoors and believe me when I tell you I have found my myself irritated at times by large crowds, traffic congestion, tourist doing stupid shit, or things like driving endlessly up and down UT-128 looking for a camping spot along the Colorado because they're all taken. Make reservations at Disney world or renting hotels and cabins. Entering our parks and camping? Leave that alone.

You're ignoring the fact that one major catalyst of the ticketing system is the construction and maintenance on the road itself.

Sites managed by the National Park Service are to preserve the character of the area as defined in the designations.  When such sites are being "loved to death," quotas to lessen human impact are quite appropriate and effective (e.g., Half Dome hiking permits are another example).

[Plutonic Panda]

The last decade or so has brought about a lot of recognition of Glacier that wasn't there before. It seemed to be the forgotten park in the shadow of Yellowstone, but that has changed quite a bit. This has led to many more vehicles crossing Going-to-the-Sun Road than it ever was designed to handle. Perhaps this ticket system will allow for being able to enjoy the ride again without the excessive traffic.

I was thinking that I need to spend a couple days camping in Glacier this summer. That'll give me the excuse to check out the ticket system.

No one has a right to a national park someone else doesn't have because they weren't able to get a ticket. If you want seclusion there are time of places to have it.

So, what's your solution to the issue at hand, then?

We don't need a solution. Neither you or I have a right to a national park someone else doesn't have. Expect congestion and other people. If there are none then enjoy but don't be mad because other people want to experience the things you want to.

FWIW, I spend months every year exploring and camping in our national parks and forest. I love the outdoors and believe me when I tell you I have found my myself irritated at times by large crowds, traffic congestion, tourist doing stupid shit, or things like driving endlessly up and down UT-128 looking for a camping spot along the Colorado because they're all taken. Make reservations at Disney world or renting hotels and cabins. Entering our parks and camping? Leave that alone.

You're ignoring the fact that one major catalyst of the ticketing system is the construction and maintenance on the road itself.

Sites managed by the National Park Service are to preserve the character of the area as defined in the designations.  When such sites are being "loved to death," quotas to lessen human impact are quite appropriate and effective (e.g., Half Dome hiking permits are another example).

If there is an active construction project going then that is different. I can understand controlling traffic while a road is reconstructed or worked on.

Reservations for national parks entry be it by car or on foot is not something I will ever support and I will vocally oppose. Hopefully this doesn't become the norm. Preservation of character for specific areas is up to the responsibility of the individual. Controlling who can access the park and when simply prevents people from experiencing said area and if the main concern was that then it shouldn't be accessible to humans at all. Of course that isn't the case.

[FrCorySticha]

There have been reservations for parts of national parks for years. You can't just show up and expect to get a camping site without a reservation. You can't just expect to start a multi-day backpacking hike without reserving camping sites, and can't just camp wherever you want.

The fact is, whether you like it or not, the National Park Service has the obligation to protect the park and preserve it, not "the responsibility of the individual". There is no "right" to unlimited access to the park just because you say so. The NPS has the obligation to determine whether or not current visitor loads are too excessive for the park, and to put restrictions in place to ensure the integrity of the park.

Also, the reservation is not a specific time for entrance. It's a reservation that lasts for 7 days, and you can enter and leave as many times as you want during that period. This isn't a big deal, and it won't restrict people from visiting the park, so long as they do just a tiny bit of planning ahead.