GREAT FALLS — The Montana Department of Transportation has completed the first phase of construction on U.S. Highway 87.
Construction crews several months ago began working on the project between Dent Bridge Road to the area just north of Great Bear Avenue. They were placing foundation soil to prep for more construction this spring, when they plan to add passing lanes and turning lanes to the highway. It’s part of an effort to increase traffic flow and make the road safer for drivers.
Last year, construction pared traffic down to a single lane at times, causing some major delays. But now, the project’s construction engineer, Rich Hibl, said drives can expect a brief return to normal.
"There were some significant delays from time to time while we were working,” he said. “From now through the winter shutdown period, we’re really not going to have a whole lot of delays, if any, and that’ll hold through late winter or early spring, when we get started again.”
Hibl said spring construction will last through November 2021.
