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Montana Department of Transportation
Engineering design consultant Sanderson Stewart submitted plan-in-hand (PIH) deliverables for the East Segment project to the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) for review on May 10, 2024. The PIH review meeting was held on June 6, 2024. The East Segment project includes 1st Avenue North from the railroad crossing between North 22nd Street and North 20th Street to North 9th Street as well as a short portion of North 13th Street.
Once all necessary changes identified through MDT’s PIH review are incorporated, final plans for the East Segment project will be shared with the public at an open house tentatively scheduled for late 2025. Reconstruction of the East Segment project is anticipated to begin in 2027. This schedule is subject to change based on the completion of final design, impacts from the city of Billings’ Stormwater Master Plan project and other adjacent projects, contractor availability, and other unforeseen factors.
The City of Billings was moving forward with a study to evaluate the conversion of Montana Avenue and 1st Avenue North between Division Street and North 18th Street from one-way to two-way traffic. The city council voted against funding the study as it was presented. The City of Billings remains interested in exploring the conversion of those two streets to two-way traffic, but no such conversion is planned as of now.
1st Avenue North is a complex and involved project. Due to funding constraints, the project has been split into three segments to accommodate phased construction. The entire project is currently in the design phase, and MDT has partnered with the engineering design consultant, Sanderson Stewart, to get the first (East) segment of the project ready for construction, tentatively scheduled for 2027, with the remaining segments to follow.
Direct questions or concerns to the project hotline at 406-207-4484, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.