Hwy 191 Delays Start This Week

Starting on Monday, US Highway 191 between Big Sky and West Yellowstone will be limited to one lane with traffic signals in-place. Workers will be on-site Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Delays may last up to 15 minutes during peak construction.

The road is being restored between Tepee Creek Trailhead and U.S. Forest Service Road 986 on Hwy 191. Work is expected to include creating a northbound left-turn lane at Rainbow Point Road, repairing the bridges over Specimen Creek and the Gallatin River, replacing old guardrail, and adding rumble strips.

Delays are expected to early fall, weather permitting.

“MDT is taking special care to limit environmental impacts as we work around Yellowstone National Park,” explained William Fogarty, Butte District Administrator for the Montana Department of Transportation. “For this project, we are using the technique, ‘hot-in-place recycling,’ to improve the road.”

Hot-in-place recycling reduces the amount of mining needed for the road and requires fewer asphalt trucks, making it more environmentally friendly. Crews will use the existing asphalt and will recycle it on the job site in order to prolong the life of the road. By using existing materials, this technique also saves on the costs of rehabilitating the roadway and allows MDT to stretch construction dollars to do more work. This phase of the project will occur in July and August, when weather is best for repaving.

Wide loads will be restricted throughout construction. Trucks carrying loads wider than 11 feet should use an alternate route. Drivers are advised to pay attention, slow down, and be careful especially when passing through the work zone.

For text updates, text HIGHWAY191 to 41411. You can also call the project hotline at (406) 207-4484 or visit Mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/hwy191/.