Pothole fixes are temporary, but bridge replacement may be on the horizon with MDT projects to improve 191
By Jack Reaney SENIOR EDITOR
This week, the Montana Department of Transportation repaired the bridge near the Lava Lake trailhead on U.S. Highway 191 between Bozeman and Big Sky. The work was scheduled through Friday, Sept. 13, but crews were efficient and finished ahead of schedule.
In an email today, Sept. 11, MDT Engineering Project Manager Chad Mozol stated that the work should be finished by the end of the day. During the construction, flaggers enforced one-way traffic resulting in delays of at least 15 minutes. Separate projects in the Gallatin Canyon remain scheduled through Friday, but they will be postponed if it rains, and the forecast looks dreary.
Mozol also provided background on the repair work to the bridge.
“The repairs are intended to extend the service life of the bridge deck and improve the ride for motorists. The crew is patching the potholes on the bridge deck with special concrete that can be driven on within hours of placement and then applying a crack seal material to the entire deck,” Mozol wrote.
He added that the temporary fix is meant to ensure the bridge can continue carrying residents, visitors and commuters until the bridge is replaced. MDT is in the early stages of planning a replacement for the bridge, but no timeline has been established for construction.
Bridge replacement, turnouts, passing lanes and 191/64 intersection on MDT’s radar
The Lava Lake bridge replacement came up during the Sept. 11 Big Sky Resort Area District board meeting.
MDT estimates that potential bridge replacement could be a $30 to $50 million project, and it was identified as a near-term priority in MDT’s 191/64 Optimization Plan.
“The optimization plan… has identified four projects that have been nominated to the conceptual planning stage,” said Daniel Bierschwale, BSRAD executive director. “One of those—and by far the most complicated one—is a Lava Lake re-do.”
Bierschwale said the current situation involves close interaction between humans and vehicles, as most Lava Lake hikers must park on the other side of the river and traverse the bridge using a narrow walkway, just a few feet from highway traffic.
“Kind of exciting to see MDT looking at what can be done there,” Bierschwale said.
In addition, MDT listed three other projects on 191 as nominees for integration into its Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan, which commits federal aid and State of Montana funding to complete engineering and construction activities.
Improving the intersection between 191 and Montana Highway 64 (Lone Mountain Trail) was another project, estimated to cost MDT between $10 and $15 million.
“I think we’re all aware of that particular project… it may or may not be a roundabout, depending on how things progress,” Bierschwale said.
BSRAD already contributed $10.4 million to the project by purchasing land needed to expand the intersection, and that may serve as a funding match for federal grants, Bierschwale added.
Another MDT priority is to help improve pullouts and turnouts, estimated at least $5 million.
“The pullouts and turnouts… some of them aren’t large enough to actually get someone to be able to pull over,” Bierschwale said. “And secondly, the signage that is associated with the turnouts doesn’t exactly incentivize anyone to necessarily use them.”
Finally, MDT could use another $10 to $15 million for passing lanes.
“HDR and MDT have identified four areas, two for northbound, two for southbound passing lanes… I think that will really help with fluidity of travel in the canyon,” said Board Chair Kevin Germain.
“And just once again, stressing, come to Community Week and listen to MDT and HDR present, so you can get the real specifics of what they’re working on and looking at.”
The community can learn about MDT’s projects and provide feedback during a presentation at the Madison-Gallatin Joint County Commission meeting, at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
