A new median has been placed at the intersection of 3rd Street Northwest and 16th Avenue Northwest in Great Falls, and drivers can no longer make a left-handed turn at the intersection.
The change was made due to the large number of severe injury crashes, property damage crashes, and at least one fatal crash.
In addition, an increase in the amount of traffic also contributed to the change as new apartment complexes go up on the Northwest side of town.
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) partnered with the city of Great Falls to make this change.
Funding for the median came from MDT’s road maintenance budget.
Jim Wingerter, Great Falls District Administrator for MTD, explained the additional plans for the intersection: “This fix that we have out there right now is a temporary fix. We have a permanent fix that's in the works and will be similar to what's out there. It'll be more of a concrete median rather than just the nail-down blocks that we have out there right now."
The temporary fix took around six months to plan and execute.
There is no time frame for when the permanent median will be placed as MDT is awaiting on the final intersection report, which is expected to be complete in three to four months.
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