BILLINGS — On June 9, the City of Billings and the Billings-Yellowstone County Metropolitan Planning Organization opened a public survey, inviting residents to give feedback regarding the possibility of expanding the underpass on 21st Street.
The underpass is eight feet tall, which prohibits emergency services and larger vehicles, such as box trucks, from using the route to pass from the north side of the city to the south, or vice versa.
See the city explain the issues regarding city underpasses in the video below:
"We know that right now the underpass is too low for both the fire department. And we talked to one of the EMS providers in town, and they also don't use this," said Elyse Monat, the transportation planner with the Billings-Yellowstone County Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Monat told MTN on Wednesday that EMS services require at least 10 feet of clearance for an underpass, and a firetruck requires at least 13 and a half feet.
She said the city is hoping to expand the underpass to be 14 to 16 feet, similar to underpasses on interstate highways that allow for semi-trucks to pass through.
"The grades are already pretty steep. So potentially, the grades would get steeper... rather than raising the bridge," said Monat.
Developing the underpass is only in the planning stages. Monat said the city is working alongside BNSF Rail to figure out the best way to expand the underpass without disturbing the tracks above.
"We're looking at some federal, urban transportation dollars that we might be able to use on improving the underpass. So, kind of when those are available, might dictate when the project would actually get constructed," Monat said.
Besides emergency and larger vehicles being unable to pass through the underpass, the city of Billings is also looking to improve the underpass because it causes roadway drainage problems, and isn't pedestrian and bicycle friendly, according to Monat.
Another Billings underpass with similar issues is the North 13th Street underpass near Minnesota Avenue.
Although the underpass on North 13th Street is over 13 feet tall, it's still fallen victim to large vehicles.
On Wednesday, MTN spoke with local artist Elyssa Leininger, who witnessed a truck drive into the underpass..
"I think it was one of those trucks that hauls dumpsters... but there was no garbage in it, but the lift was still up," she said.
The incident occurred in 2021 when Leininger was painting a mural on the underpass's interior wall.
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"I was very worried that someone had hit another person... It was very loud. It cracked right through the concrete," she said.
MTN asked Leininger her thoughts about the city redeveloping the underpass on 21st Street.
"I think it's important in today's world that we stay aware of our surroundings and pay attention to what we drive. You never know who you may hurt," she said.
The City of Billings will keep the 21st Street underpass survey until June 30. Depending on feedback from residents, the city will then evaluate the next course of action in altering the underpass.
Click this link to learn more about the city's plans or to take the survey.
