HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – Representatives from the Montana Department of Transportation held their local semi-annual meeting on Tuesday with officials from Chinook, Havre, and Hill and Blaine Counties to discuss upcoming projects.
Three projects are expected to go up for bid letting by mid-May. They are a curb replacement on US-2 in Havre from mile markers 381.2-384, an overlay project west of Box Elder on Secondary Road 448 from mile posts 0-4.36, and an overlay project on Secondary Road 334, also known as Rocky Boy Road, from mile posts 0-3.77.
One project that has already had a bid awarded is for an overlay on Montana 80 south of Geraldine from mile posts 34.3-43.1.
Two local projects are tentatively expected to go up for bid letting in September. One is a project in Havre at the intersection of US-2 and 19th Avenue West that will include upgrading signals, modifying the turn radius, and bringing the sidewalks and ramps into ADA compliance. The other is a chip seal/seal and cover project east of Havre on US-2 from mile posts 383.6-393.3.
In addition, there are many projects that remain in the design phase but are tentatively expected to move to go up for bid letting by 2025. They are:
- A chip seal/seal and cover project in western Hill County on US 2 from mile posts 332.6-342.1 (letting scheduled for late April 2023)
- The Havre Northwest reconstruction project on Secondary Road 232 from mile posts 0.75-10 (letting scheduled for May 2023)
- The East Zurich-Harlem project featuring reconstruction with added capacity on US-2 from mile posts 417-424 (letting scheduled for January 2024)
- A scrub seal and overlay northeast of Geraldine on Montana 80 from mile posts 14-24 (letting scheduled for January 2023)
- Reconstruction from gravel to pavement of Secondary Road 225 in southern Chouteau County from mile posts 11.5-17.6 (letting scheduled for 2025)
Projects with letting tentatively set for 2026 or thereafter are:
- A bridge deck rehab or replacement on Montana 80 over the Missouri River in Fort Benton at mile post 2.4
- Reconstruction and a new bridge project for Montana 80 southeast of Shonkin Creek from mile posts 4.72-14.7
- A wetland mitigation project in Chouteau County five miles north of Geraldine
- Reconstruction with added capacity on US 2 from mile posts 404-410
- A major bridge rehabilitation or a complete replacement of the Milk River Bridge in Fort Belknap from mile posts 427.5-428.5
At the meeting, Blaine County Commissioner Miles Hutton expressed concern about the railroad crossing in Harlem on 30 Mile Road. Hutton says that they need a crossing further to the east and people have had to wait a significant period of time to cross it when trains are in the way. Hutton says even ambulances have been forced to wait extended periods of time, and while it has not led to any deaths yet, it very well could if the issue is not rectified. Hutton says the local landowner is on board with creating an alternate grade crossing, and MDT representatives said they would follow up on this issue.
Also at this meeting, local resident Lee Morse questioned why the current Havre Northwest project, as proposed, would actually narrow the width of the roadway in some spots. MDT said they would look into it.
The Hill County Commissioners were all at the meeting and Mark Peterson noted that this project was scheduled more than 20 years ago on a larger stretch of the highway. He said it is crucial the road gets fixed soon and is done right, as there are many safety issues at play.
The next semi-annual meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 20th.
