No rest area will be built at the Boulder Interstate 15 interchange, the Jefferson County Commission has been told.
In a letter dated November 6, Montana Department of Transportation Butte District Administrator Jeffrey Ebert wrote, “…although the proposed rest area site is feasible from a constructability standpoint, it is not from a network evaluation standpoint.”
The commissioners expressed surprise at the move, noting that the MDT had previously said the distance between rest areas along I-15 justified building a site at Boulder.
Ebert’s letter said a 2014 Rest Area Plan called for stopping opportunities to be about one hour apart, but defined stopping opportunities as including “other rest areas, parking areas and urban areas.”
He wrote, “Given this proposed location is along the corridor between Butte and Helena, two urban areas within approximately an hour of travel time, there is not a need from a network standpoint.” Commissioner Leonard Wortman questioned that reasoning, noting that a rest area in Bozeman is within the urban area. Ebert also cited “challenging times in terms of state budgets and funding” as an impediment to expanding the network of rest areas.
The letter invited to commissioners to “let us know if you have questions or would like additional discussion regarding this determination.”
