Montana plans a comprehensive transportation study across nine counties including Cascade, Chouteau, Fergus, Judith Basin, Lewis and Clark, Pondera, Teton, Toole, and Wheatland Counties to address future needs.

The Montana Department of Transportation is conducting the Central Montana Transportation Study to assess current road conditions and anticipate impacts, notably from the Air Force’s Sentinel project. This initiative aims to guide long-term transportation improvements through public input and data analysis.

The study area spans key corridors such as 57th Street S, US 87/89, and routes near Great Falls and Lewistown. MDT held public open houses and is collecting feedback via an online interactive map to supplement engineering data. Jim Wingerter, MDT Great Falls District Administrator, emphasized the importance of public observations in making data-driven decisions. The study is not a construction plan but an early step to identify issues and options. Draft reports are expected by the end of the year.

Public comments will continue to be accepted online as the study progresses.

More information, study materials, and the interactive comment map can be found through the Central Montana Transportation Study page on the MDT website.

Given Montana’s vast geography and rural road networks, this study could help balance infrastructure needs with limited resources. The involvement of communities across diverse terrain might influence prioritization of corridors critical for both civilian and military transportation demands.

MDT transportation study asks Montanans to ‘put it on the map’
By Madison Collier, KTVH

Aging roads and rising costs put pressure Montana’s infrastructure system