Gallatin County is the contracting authority for this effort and hired Robert Peccia and Associates (RPA) to help develop the project. Representatives from Belgrade and the Montana Department of Transportation are anticipated to be involved in the effort for intersections impacting their jurisdictions. This project is intended to be a collaborative effort between the County, government partners, adjacent landowners, stakeholders, and the surrounding community.

Since the East Belgrade I-90 interchange was constructed in 2015, traffic volumes on Alaska Road South, which extends south of the interchange, have more than doubled and truck traffic has increased significantly. This connection that once provided an easy, congestion-free route for Gallatin County residents traveling between the communities of Belgrade and Bozeman but has become increasingly popular as development continues to occur in the area. Increasing demand on this narrow two-lane county road has resulted in degraded intersection operations, increasing safety conflicts, and deteriorating pavement conditions. Two primary intersections along the route, Alaska Road South/Cameron Bridge Road and Alaska Road South/East Valley Center Road, have been identified by the County as needing upgrades to accommodate demand and improve safety.

For commuters between Belgrade and Bozeman, a common route involves traveling south on Alaska Road South to East Valley Center Road, east to Love Lane, then south to Huffine Lane or other connecting east-west routes including Baxter Lane and Durston Road. In 2019, a roundabout was constructed at Love Lane/Baxter Lane to address growing safety concerns. Now, the intersection of Love Lane/Durston Road has been identified as needing improvements to address safety and operational concerns resulting from increased traffic volumes.

It is true that the Greater Triangle Area Transportation Plan recommended that the County consider roundabouts at each of the three intersections included in the project. However, the County intends to consider all possible options for each intersection, including traffic calming, geometric enhancements, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), pedestrian and bicycle improvements, all-way stop control, traffic signals, and roundabouts, when determining the best solution for the unique context of each intersection.

The County, in coordination with traffic engineers, road designers, and environmental specialists, will work together to identify all possible options for each intersection. With input from stakeholders and the public, the project team will conduct a multi-level evaluation process to compare alternatives and identify the best performing solution for each intersection. The team will consider traffic performance, safety benefits, environmental and right-of-way impacts, multimodal accommodations, construction feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and public input when determining the best solution. It is possible that the project team could identify short-term improvements that can be quickly implemented to improve conditions while final design is being completed.

The public is invited to participate in the project through public open house events and ongoing information review and input. This website has been developed to provide updates as the project progresses and offer an opportunity to submit comments for the project team to consider. Event dates, times, formats, and locations of engagement opportunities will be announced through the local media, the project mailing list, and this website.

Anyone interested in the project is encouraged to join the email list by filling out the “Stay Informed” form on this page to stay informed about project developments. The County, RPA, and the rest of the project team will collect and consider all public comments received to better understand the public view of potential issues and needs at each intersection.

The County expects to identify a preferred alternative for each intersection by Summer 2024. After receiving approval from the County Commission, design of each alternative will commence. The final design, right-of-way acquisition, permitting, and construction phases will follow as projects are prioritized and funding becomes available. Short-term or temporary improvements, if identified, may be constructed much sooner. The availability of funding will ultimately influence the speed of design and construction. The County is actively seeking grant funding so improvements can be completed in a timely manner.