Project Overview

Montana is rich in miles of mountainous roadway. Residents and visitors of Montana Highway 78 (MT 78) are no stranger to these scenic roads as the highway twists and turns through the foothills of the Beartooth Mountains.

While beautiful and iconic, this steep corridor can also create safety concerns. To enhance the safety of this rural roadway, the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) is in the process of designing two adjacent projects known as Highway 78 – Red Lodge to Luther. These projects will reduce the roller coaster hill effect experienced when driving this roadway and increase sight distance.

The projects begin 5 miles northwest of Red Lodge, past Summit Lane, and end east of Butcher Creek Road near Luther. In total, 10.6 miles of roadway will be improved.

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Safety Enhancements Planned for MT 78

MT 78 has numerous areas where hills and valleys are steep. As a result of these steep grades, drivers have limited sight distance and limited time to react to upcoming obstacles. A corridor study performed in 2008 showed that 97 of 117 vertical curves – the steep way a road can rise and fall – do not meet the current design standard for minimum stopping sight distance. That’s 82% of curves where drivers would benefit from a roadway reconstruction that would increase the time to see a potential hazard ahead.

The study also found that 51 of 55 passing areas do not meet the current design standard for minimum passing sight distance. Imagine coming up on a slow vehicle and not quite seeing beyond the hills ahead. As a driver, you have to guess if a vehicle is speeding quickly towards you in the oncoming lane. It may come as no surprise that this road has a crash rate 65% higher than the statewide average.

In addition to flattening grades and improving sight distance, MDT is planning to widen shoulders of the roadway by 4 feet on each side and add additional vehicle turnouts. MDT is also planning to replace the bridge crossing where West Red Lodge Creek flows underneath MT 78, by Lower Luther Road.

Project Timeline

The Highway 78 – Red Lodge to Luther projects are currently in the design phase, where engineers create the necessary construction plans. This critical part of roadway development involves extensive research, outreach to residents, mapping, and evaluating the surrounding terrain (both above and below ground). It also includes assessing how design features can be constructed.

As of early 2026, no tentative construction date has been set. This is primarily due to construction costs outpacing the needs across Montana’s highway system. Once adequate funding is secured, MDT will establish a tentative construction schedule and share updates with the public.

UPN 8540000 and 8541000