BILLINGS— Heights resident Amanda Rule doesn’t open her front door much anymore. The traffic on Mary Street is so loud, she says it drowns out her TV, and the screech of brakes comes far too often.
The intersection of Mary Street and Bitterroot Drive has changed dramatically since the Billings Bypass opened in July, funneling more vehicles onto a crossing that was never designed to handle it.
See evidence of more traffic and crashes:
Residents report a sharp increase in T-bone crashes and near misses, raising concerns about safety in the neighborhood.
“It’s getting crazy,” Rule said. “It feels like it’s only a matter of time before someone gets killed.”
What used to be a quiet stretch is now a steady stream of cars and trucks.
Rule has watched multiple crashes unfold in recent weeks, including one on Oct. 25 that sent a vehicle into a ditch and knocked out power to nearby homes. Another crash occurred last Thursday.
Neighbors say they’ve seen at least three significant crashes in the past month alone.
John Tatum, who drives through the intersection daily, said he’s seen the dangers firsthand.
“In the past two months, I’ve seen three wrecks here. One minor, two major. The two major ones knocked out power,” he said.
He fears the next crash could be deadly.
“Traffic coming down Mary doesn’t have to stop,” he said. “The way it’s going, it’s a matter of when, not if.”
First-person video captured at the scene shows the aftermath of a serious late October rollover crash, with snapped power lines that left a row of homes in darkness.
Who investigates crashes at the intersection?
The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office says deputies respond to crashes but do not investigate them. Outside Billings city limits, including Mary and Bitterroot, the Montana Highway Patrol handles crash investigations.
MHP tells MTN News it has investigated three crashes at the intersection since July 2025. One crash resulted in an injury and was caused by a driver failing to yield. Troopers reminded drivers to follow traffic laws and stay alert on the roads.
What changes are coming?
Residents have requested adding stop signs or a traffic signal, but a contractor with the Montana Department of Transportation says no new signage is planned. “Local Access Only” signs were installed on the east end of Mary Street when the Bypass bridge opened to discourage through-traffic.
Long-term relief is expected once the next phase of the Billings Bypass is completed. A new roadway, the Northeast Billings Bypass, will be built north of Mary Street. That intersection at Bitterroot Drive will include a traffic signal, shifting most regional traffic off Mary Street.
Once complete, Mary Street will function primarily as a frontage road for local neighborhoods.
Residents say they can’t wait
For Rule, those improvements feel far off. Each time she hears a tire squeal, she worries about the next crash.
“It is dangerous. People will tell you it’s not, but it is,” she said. “Someone blows that stop sign… and that’s it.”
She plans to keep pushing for change — before another serious crash happens just outside her front door.
