Geospatial Information Section

The Geospatial Information Section (GeoInfo) collects, manages, maintains, reports and maps basic road inventory data for all roads open to public travel in Montana.

Maps

GeoInfo develops and maintains a number of maps including the official Montana Highway Map. The section's city, county, and urban highway maps include all roads that are open to public travel in Montana. GeoInfo also develops and maintains rail and bicycle maps, available in hard copy form.

Many other specialty maps are also developed and maintained by the GeoInfo Section. Call 406-444-6103 to check availability

Visit Our Maps Site

Road Log

The GeoInfo section also produces the Road Log, which is a compilation of the basic location and attribute information for all roads in Montana that are open to public travel. It serves as MDT's common road and highway referencing system. It includes 81 data items including roadway location information, surface type, width, length, number of lanes, etc. Online electronic forms are available to MDT personnel and hard copy reports are available for $50 each by calling 406-444-6103.

Primary and National Highway Data Summary

Primary and National Highway Data Summary (PNDS) is a compilation of highway related information for the National Highway System and Primary highways. Beginning in 2005, it also includes information on Secondary system highways. Published in hard copy form, the report reflects a graphic representation of specific roadway segments with corresponding textual information consisting of 17 commonly used information items including location, year built and improved, width, length, traffic data, pavement condition, and safety ratings.

Call 406-444-7239, to view copies of this report.

Fuel Tax Allocation

The GeoInfo Section is responsible for calculating annual fuel tax allocations to the cities and counties in Montana. The specifics of this program, along with the answers to commonly asked questions, are available in the Q & A Fuel Tax Allocation document found in the MDT publications index.

The GeoInfo Section is also responsible for calculating the annual allocation of Secondary funds to the five financial districts. The allocations are based on land area, rural population, and rural bridge square footage.

Highway Performance Monitoring System

Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) is a specialized highway inventory program required by the Federal Highway Administration. It is primarily used to provide data that reflects the extent, condition, performance, use, and operating characteristics of the nation's highways. These data are also used for assessing highway system performance under FHWA's strategic planning process and for apportioning federal-aid funds. All states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico are required to submit annual reports. United States territories are also required to report limited HPMS summary data.

Traffic Data Collection Section

The Traffic Data Collection and Analysis Section (TDCA) collects, monitors, manages, maintains, and reports traffic and travel–related data on Montana's National Highway, Primary, Secondary, and Urban and State highway systems. Limited data is also collected and reported on local roads.

Vehicle volume data (number of vehicles on a given roadway section) are collected by machines at approximately 6,000 locations across the state. Of these locations, 105 sites make up MDT’s continuous count program. Continuous count stations (CCS) collect traffic data on a daily basis. 62 of the continuous stations are Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) sites and 43 are Weigh In Motion (WIM) sites. In addition to providing volume information, a significant number of ATRs and WIMs provide information such as vehicle length, classification, truck weight data and unbiased speed data.

Traffic is monitored anywhere between 24 hours to continuously throughout the year, depending on the type of traffic monitoring site. Data collected at the continuous count stations (CCS) can be viewed on–line or hard copies are available for $10 each by calling 406-444-7217.

TDCA publishes the Traffic By Sections report every year. It includes traffic volumes by specific route segments on all routes of the National Highway, Primary, Secondary, and Urban highway systems. The report is available on-line or hard copies are available for $50 each by calling 406-444-6122.

Visit Our Stats & Data Site

Surface Transportation Program Secondary

The Surface Transportation Program Secondary (STPS) is a sub-allocated portion of the larger Surface Transportation Program. State law (Senate Bill 333) passed during the 56th legislative session modified the method of sub-allocating secondary road system funds. Rather than allocating funds to the counties, as was done under the old system, funds are now allocated to the state's five financial districts based on formula. Law and formula are as follows: Each fiscal year the department shall apportion at least 65% of the federal-aid highway funds allocated for the secondary highway system among the districts for capital construction needs. The department must use the remainder of the funds for secondary highway system pavement preservation. Each district receives a proportion that is computed on the following basis:

• 30% in the ratio of land area in each district to the total land area in the state;
• 35% in the ratio of the rural population in each district to the total rural population in the state;
• 30% in the ratio of the rural road mileage in each district to the total rural road mileage in the state;
• 5% in the ratio of the rural bridge square footage in each district to the total rural bridge square footage in the state.

Funds in this program may be used to improve any road designated by the Montana Transportation Commission as part of the Secondary System. Eligible improvements include rehabilitation and reconstruction of the roadway to a paved or gravel surface. Other improvements include railroad-crossing surfaces and epoxy striping. Each year, the Transportation Commission allocates funds to the Secondary Highway System out of the federal-aid funds available in the STP category of funds. The federal share of this program is 86.58% with the state contributing 13.42% matching funds. The funds are primarily used to preserve, restore, or reconstruct roads and bridges.

Statewide Transportation Improvement Program

The Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is a requirement under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA21) of 1998. The STIP shows funding obligation over a three-year period. This program identifies highway, rail, aeronautic, and transit improvements to preserve, renovate, and enhance Montana's transportation system within all jurisdictions receiving funding through the federal transportation programs. The projects and dates in the STIP are official MDT objectives; however, execution of this program is contingent on a number of factors, including federal and state funding availability, right-of-way acquisition, utility relocations, environmental review, surveying, and design. Complications with one or more of these factors may cause a given project to be rescheduled.

Incorporated by reference into the STIP are the Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs) from the Billings, Great Falls and Missoula metropolitan areas. A TIP contains information about current and future transportation improvement projects and are developed by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) in cooperation with area transit providers and state and local governments as part of a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation planning process. In the event of emergencies affecting on-system, state owned roads and bridges, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides relief through the Emergency Relief (ER) Program. The ER program provides for highway facilities repair and restoration to pre-disaster conditions. Any funds received for ER do not reduce Montana's normal apportionment or obligation authority.

Project History File

Project History File (PHF) is a database of mostly federal-aid projects that MDT has let to contract. Data is available back to 1980. The most common use of the PHF is for researching information regarding a project or projects during certain time periods in the past. The database includes 27 data items including the project name, highway system, date let to contract, project cost, type of work, etc. The database is queriable and can be used to extract very specific customized data sets.

Performance Programming Process

The Performance Programming Process, known as P3, ensures the best system wide investment decisions are made given:

• Overall direction of MDT's customers,
• Available resources, and
• System performance

P3 is defined as a method to develop an optimal investment plan and measure progress in moving toward strategic transportation system goals. Projects, which are programmed for construction in the Interstate, National Highway and Primary Programs, must address both a specific transportation need and contribute to overall transportation system performance goals.

Emergency Relief Program

In the event of emergencies affecting on-system, state owned roads and bridges, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides relief through the Emergency Relief (ER) Program. The ER program provides for highway facilities repair and restoration to pre-disaster conditions. Any funds received for ER do not reduce Montana's normal apportionment or obligation authority. ER dollars cannot be expended for items considered to be "heavy maintenance" or work that is frequently performed by the state and county maintenance crews repairing damage normally expected from seasonal and occasional unusual natural conditions.

Eligibility and Planning Considerations: Federal, State and County personnel are dispatched to the disaster area and are responsible for addressing all elements of repair as deemed necessary by the review team and approved by the FHWA.

Eligible items include:

• Engineering and Right-of-Way
• Traffic Damage
• Raising Grades
• Slides
• Traffic Control Devices
• Landscaping, Roadside Appearance
• Detours
• Overlays
• Basin Flooding
• Work on Active Construction
• Timber and Debris Removal
• Project Features Resulting from NEPA

For a formal declaration that a disaster has occurred, the combined cost to restore all damaged areas must exceed $700,000. This must also be accompanied by a declaration from the Governor.