Signs of springtime like warmer days and fewer snowstorms also means road construction season has opened. There are several projects going on Jefferson County that will affect driving during the next few months.
The most visible of these projects is the continued work on bridge rehabilitation on Interstate 15 between Helena and Boulder. This work is the continuation of the bridge rehabilitation project that began last year with work on the overpasses in Jefferson City and Clancy, according to the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) web site.
Dave Cunningham, a spokesperson for MDT, told The Monitor in a phone call that the bridge rehabilitation work is expected to be completed in October of this year, weather and other conditions permitting. While work is being done, all I-15 traffic is being routed to the west lanes. The MDT web site states what can be expected: “One lane traffic, reduced speed limit, and 16 foot width restriction due to road work on I-15 northbound and southbound from mile post 176 to 191, between Jefferson City and South Hills interchange.”
Beginning Jul. 22 – or sooner if creek water levels permit – work will begin on replacement of the culverts on Prickly Pear Creek at the intersection of Haab Lane and MT Hwy. 282 in Clancy. Cunningham said this work has been planned for years, as the culverts are damaged and in disrepair. The culverts at “The Swimming Hole”, as locals refer to the location, have caused injuries to some swimmers in the past. This construction work will cause traffic on Hwy. 282 to reduce down to one lane, with flaggers in place to guide traffic. There will be a 10 working day period when the road will be completely blocked to perform the culvert replacements. Cunningham said that Public Information officials from MDT will be notifying sub-division residents and emergency services of the planned work and detours.
“This has really worked out well for us in the past,” Cunningham said about the notifications. “People really respond well when they are notified. They don’t really like it when we surprise them.”
The culvert project is expected to last about a month and a half.
In Boulder, work begins on Jun. 10 on sidewalk improvements, including new surfacing and making the sidewalks more ADA-compliant. These improvements are part of the Main Street Improvement project for Boulder, Cunningham said. That project is expected to last into early September, and is timed to cause the least amount of disruption for schools. Similar sidewalk improvements are also being performed in Whitehall over the summer months.
Just outside of Jefferson County, a section of MT Hwy. 41 has been closed due to a vehicle bridge near Twin Bridges in Madison County failing an inspection. MDT Bridge inspectors determined that the bridge crossing the Beaverhead River can no longer support vehicle traffic in its current condition. A reinforced concrete pier wall foundation is failing due to deterioration of the concrete supporting girders. There was no timeline for the bridge construction provided by MDT, but itstheir press release noted MDT was attempting to expedite repairs.
There is also road construction for those headed towards Virginia City. Mt. Hwy 287 will be under construction and controlled alternating traffic between mile marker 17 and 18. Motorists can expect up to 15 minute delays, and motorcycles should consider a different route.
