Overview
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) is developing the Central Montana Transportation Study to create a comprehensive long-term management plan in response to anticipated impacts from planned development and military activities impacting the region. The pre-MEPA/NEPA regional study will be a collaborative process with MDT, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), military representatives, local jurisdictions, resource agencies, and the public to identify transportation needs and potential solutions.
The study covers a broad area within Central Montana, with specific focus on the Great Falls and Lewistown areas as well as MDT’s on-system routes within nine counties, including Cascade, Choteau, Fergus, Judith Basin, Lewis and Clark, Pondera, Teton, Toole, and Wheatland Counties.
In addition to evaluations encompassing the entire study area, multiple subcomponents will be focused on subareas of study. These include:
- Access Management Plan: 57th St South from 2nd Ave North to US 87/89 (RP 7.5 to RP 8.4) and US 87/89 from 57th St South to Secondary 227/228 (RP 87.4 to RP 90.4)
- Lewistown Subarea Analysis: MDT on-system routes and local routes within the urban boundary
- Great Falls Subarea Analysis: MDT on-system routes within the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) planning area
- Old Havre Highway & US 87 Analysis: Old Havre Highway from 25th Ave NE to US 87/15th St and US 87 from 25th Ave NE to Great Bear Ave
- US 87 Armington Junction – Otter Creek Canyon Analysis: US 87 corridor between Armington Junction and Otter Creek Canyon (RP 0.0 and 7.2)