Road work expected to begin April, reroute mid-April; delays expected at both sites
By Jen Clancey DIGITAL PRODUCER
A March 22 release from the Montana Department of Transportation stated that U.S. Highway 191 will see delays this summer for necessary road work in two sections of the drive between Gallatin Gateway and Big Sky.
“The project, which includes a pavement preservation project on U.S. Highway 191 (US 191) north of the Lava Lake Trailhead and a road widening and bridge replacement project half a mile north of Gallatin Gateway, is anticipated to be completed this fall,” the release stated.
The first project—north of Gallatin Gateway center between Zachariah Lane and South Cottonwood Road—will implement a left turn bay, shoulder widening and replacement of an existing bridge with a box culvert. According to Craig Walker, Montana Department of Transportation engineering project manager, the box culvert is expected to be completed on April 15, with work starting on April 1.
The box culvert portion of the project is not expected to cause delays as it will only shift traffic. However, after completion on April 15, the team will start work on the turn bay and shoulder widening which will require one-lane traffic. That portion of the project is expected to end mid-August.
“We try to keep impacts to a minimum,” Walker said on the phone with EBS. He asks that travelers on the Gallatin Canyon road plan extra time for their journeys so that nobody is in a rush through work zones, protecting the safety of his team and of the drivers themselves.
Work hours on those projects can occur at any time between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., but Walker expects hours to look like 7 a.m. to 5:30 or 6:30 p.m.
The second project is located between Storm Castle Road and the Lava Lake Trailhead and is a shorter term project. From late May through July, this section of the road will undergo pavement preservation to restore roads after heavy travel in the past few years.
“Expect reduced speeds, lane closures, and signal controlled one-way traffic. Much of this construction is anticipated to occur at night to minimize traffic impacts at peak travel times,” the press release stated.
Further updates are provided on the Montana Department of Transportation’s website.
