RED LODGE – The Montana Department of Transportation will host a virtual open house to get public input on an upcoming U.S. Highway 212 project.
MDT plans to begin working on the road between Red Lodge and Roberts in 2022.
“We’re still soliciting input from the public on the project right now, and in the background, we’re also still meeting with all the landowners and having conversations about the right-of-way,” said Cameron Kloberdanz, MDT consultant project engineer.
The hour-long open house is scheduled for Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Attendees will have a choice between noon and 5:30 p.m.
Reservations are required and can be made on the MDT website, by clicking here.
This project follows another major renovation to U.S. 212 that began its first phase in 2014 and wrapped up in 2019.
The new 10-mile stretch of highway from Rockvale to Laurel was expanded in response to increased traffic growth and crashes.
U.S. 212 Red Lodge to Roberts will include 8-foot shoulders, passing lanes, and more.
“We’re also doing some other safety features as well. Flattening some of the curves to allow people to see further, widening the ditches, and widening the snow storage, and that will also help with the wildlife, being able to spot wildlife much earlier along the roadway corridor,” said Kloberdanz.
Current plans have the project complete by the end of the 2023 construction season.
At the virtual open house, attendees can get more details about the project, and ask questions.
“You’ll meet some of the other design team consultants, some of the other MDT folks as well. Then you’ll be able to, at the end, ask questions and we can try and help listen to what some of the public’s concerns are, and answer questions more directly,” Kloberdanz said.
Anyone who cannot attend one of the virtual open houses can call the project hotline at (406)207-4484 to provide feedback and ask questions.
