I-15 Bridge Rehabilitation Project South of Helena Paused for Winter

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and Frontier West, Inc. have paused bridge work between Helena and Jefferson City for the winter. Construction will resume in the spring.

The I-15 Bridge Rehabilitations, Jefferson City, and Clancy Area project began in the spring of 2023. The project consists of rehabilitating 12 bridges in southwestern Montana along Interstate 15 (I-15).

Gary Berg, MDT Butte District Project Manager, would like to thank the public for their understanding and cooperation during this busy construction season. “We’ve completed a lot of work this season, including rehabbing all the southbound I-15 bridges, as well as the Jefferson City Interchange Bridge.”

Below is a complete list of bridges involved in this project and their construction status. Work completed in 2023:

• I-15 Bridge over abandoned railroad near Montana City, southbound (SB).

• I-15 Bridge over Frontage Road south of Montana City, SB.

• I-15 Bridge over Lump Gulch Road, SB.

• Clancy Interchange Bridge, SB.

• Jefferson City Interchange Bridge.

Next summer will be a mirror image of this year, with work in the northbound lanes of I-15 and traffic traveling in both directions in the southbound lanes. Work planned for 2024:

• Jefferson County Route 926 Bridge over I-15.

• I-15 Bridge over abandoned railroad near Montana City, Northbound (NB).

• I-15 Bridge over Frontage Road south of Montana City, NB.

• I-15 Bridge over Lump Gulch Road, NB.

• Clancy Interchange Bridge, NB.

• Two bridges over Prickly Pear Creek south of Clancy.

“We’re grateful that folks have been taking the time to slow down and look out for our crews in construction zones this season,” said Frontier West Project Manager Tyrel Wilson. “It makes our jobs safer and easier. Thank you to our crews, too. It was a combined effort to make sure we finished the year with no work zone crashes.”

Members of the public can find more information on the project webpage http://www.mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/i15bridges or by reaching out to Chris Averill at chrisa@strategies360.com or 406-285-1006.

Don’t Crowd the Plow

While driving, be on the lookout for snowplows and give operators room to work. Many plows are hit by private vehicles each winter, with the potential to cause harm to all parties involved. The plow truck and operator are taken out of service immediately following an incident.

Drive safely this winter and keep these tips in mind:

• Don’t pass a plow when the TowPlow is deployed. The operator will periodically rotate the TowPlow back in line with the truck to allow vehicles to pass.

• Be aware that, where there is one plow working, others may be nearby. The snow cloud created by one plow may obscure the presence of additional plows in adjacent lanes.

• When approaching a snowplow from the rear, reduce speed immediately.

• When approaching an oncoming plow, don’t crowd the centerline.

• Be patient. Plow operators know where they can pull over to let vehicles pass, but remember, the road in front of the plow is likely not as clear as the road behind it.

MDT has tools to help plan for conditions so you can reach your destination safely. Find more plow safety information and winter driving tips at https://mdt.mt.gov/visionzero/people/winterdriving.aspx. Current construction information, width restrictions, and road conditions throughout Montana can be found at https://www.511mt.net.