Project leadership team identifies ‘quick wins’ in first-round projects to improve safety, mobility, long-term sustainability
EBS STAFF
The Montana Department of Transportation continues to pay close attention to improving highway safety and mobility in the Gallatin Canyon and Big Sky.
During his first week on the job as MDT director, Chris Dorrington paid a visit to Big Sky for a tour of U.S. Highway 191 between Four Corners and Beaver Creek, and Montana Highway 64 (Lone Mountain Trail) into Big Sky.
“A well planned and operating transportation system is the backbone of Montana’s economy,” Dorrington stated in an Aug. 23 release from the Big Sky Resort Area District. “We understand that US 191/MT 64 plays an important role to the area’s prosperity and quality of life, and we value partnerships such as this to find solutions for communities.”
Dorrington wasn’t alone in his visit—it was the first time MDT’s project leadership team met onsite together to tour initial projects, according to the release. The team includes members from MDT, BSRAD, engineering firms HDR and Sanderson Stewart, and leaders from Madison and Gallatin counties.
The release stated that the 191/64 corridor “not only serves as a key artery between Montana’s busiest airport and Yellowstone National Park’s busiest entrance, it is also essential to the Big Sky community, where 75% of the workforce commutes daily.”
Kevin Germain, BSRAD board chair and member of the project leadership team, stated that 191 is Big Sky’s “lifeline,” and that the two-lane highway sees 5,000 drivers on peak days.
In 2020, MDT published its study of the same section of 191, which recommended over $370 million in improvement options. In 2023, MDT formed the US 191/MT 64 Optimization Plan to determine priorities and take action on the 2020 study. Based on feedback from Big Sky stakeholders familiar with local traffic challenges, MDT added Highway 64 to the optimization plan, which seeks “context sensitive solutions” by collecting stakeholder feedback and addressing community interests.
“We are so grateful for Director Dorrington, the MDT staff, and Madison and Gallatin Counties for their dedication to this plan,” Germain stated. “We can’t emphasize enough the importance this corridor has to our community’s economy but also for our continued environmental stewardship within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.”
During the visit, the team discussed some “high-value ‘quick wins’” among the first round of projects identified since MDT launched the optimization plan.
One task is to finalize design alternatives for the 191/64 intersection in Big Sky—in April, BSRAD committed to purchasing the land adjacent to the intersection to make room for improvements.
“The design team is finalizing possible alternatives at this location that would maintain access to local businesses and minimize impacts to the Gallatin River,” according to MDT’s 191/64 project description.
Other priorities include enhancing access to the Lava Lake trailhead and the adjacent bridge over the Gallatin River, improving existing pullout areas for use by the public and emergency responders, and “exploring options to add passing lanes along the corridor.”
The team will also explore strategies to reduce travel time, improve reliability and expand public transportation along the corridor.
“Given recent growth and associated traffic impacts, the urgency for improvements has intensified for this one road in one road out… A financial plan, budget, and overall risk-based program schedule will be developed in alignment with these high-value priorities as part of the overall Optimization Plan,” the release stated.
The project leadership team will give a public presentation during Big Sky Community Week in October, and host public meetings in the coming months, according to the release.
MDT continues to accept public comment through its Optimization Plan webpage, which includes a project description updated on Aug. 7.
