Federal and state officials on Friday announced projects that will impact area travelers.
Two roads will temporarily close in the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest for reconstruction and maintenance, the U.S. Forest Service said.
Forest Lake Road No. 66 on the Belt Creek-White Sulphur Springs Ranger District and Beaver Willow Road No. 233 on the Rocky Mountain Ranger District will both be impacted.
The Forest Lake Road No. 66 will undergo reconstruction this week through Sept. 13.
Road Work sign
During this time 11.75 miles will close on the weekdays and open on the weekends. Access for private landowners will be allowed, however delays should be expected during hours of construction between 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The road closure starts at the intersection of Forest Lake Road with Cottonwood Creek Road and continues to the intersection of Forest Lake Road and Forest Lake Campground Road.
People are also reading…
The Beaver Willow Road No. 233 closure for the Little Willow Creek culvert replacement will be Aug. 12 – Sept. 1. This will impact milepost 18.1 on road No. 233, about one-half mile south of Stoner Place, a private land in-holding. During the culvert replacement, vehicles will not be able to travel between Sun Canyon to Benchmark Road.
Call the Belt Creek-White Sulphur Springs Ranger District for questions on the Forest Lake Road closure at 406-547-3361. Call the Rocky Mountain Ranger District for questions on the Beaver Willow Road closure at 406-466-5341.
Elsewhere, the Montana Department of Transportation and Riverside Contracting Inc. crews plan to begin asphalt milling in Wolf Creek the week of Aug. 12, weather and other factors permitting, state officials said.
Crews will then prepare for storm drain installation once milling is completed.
Travelers should plan ahead, allow extra travel time, slow down and use caution through the work zone. Motorists can expect single-lane traffic on Interstate 15 (I-15), flaggers or temporary signals to direct traffic, reduced speed limits and intermittent lane closures.
MDT anticipates that beginning Aug. 19, Walsh Street, the road under I-15 in Wolf Creek, will be closed for about a week to allow crews to safely install the storm drainage system. The storm drain requires a 12-foot-deep trench to be dug that requires the closure. During this time, traffic needing to access Wolf Creek will need to first travel to Craig and then use either the Frontage Road or the Augusta Interchange to travel to Wolf Creek.
Road construction.
Construction began in spring 2023. It is anticipated to be completed in summer 2025, weather and other unforeseen factors permitting.
The project is to improve the driving surface and enhance roadway safety features on this 7-mile stretch of I-15. The extreme climate and numerous freeze/thaw cycles in the Wolf Creek Canyon have caused the roadway material to degrade to the point where routine maintenance is no longer practical.
For more information, go to: http://www.mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/i15wolfcreek/.
For current traffic conditions and up-to-date restrictions visit https://https://www.511mt.net
