GREAT FALLS — Northwest Bypass in Great Falls has long been a vital route for traffic and industrial transportation; however, for years, business owners and residents have expressed growing concerns about safety and accessibility along the busy road.
According to Justin Okes, owner of The Western Feed Corral, the area's increased truck and vehicle traffic has created dangerous driving conditions.
Quentin Shores reports - watch the video:
"Here you see all these trucks going by? There's just a tremendous amount of truck traffic and vehicle traffic coming in out of the north,” Okes explained. “Countless times with all this traffic going by, I've watched people passing on the right. We've seen a number of wrecks occur right in our driveway.”
The industrial park located between Vaughn Road and the Northwest Bypass has experienced consistent corporate expansion over the last two decades; however, many believe the infrastructure has not kept pace.
Some neighbors and business owners have proposed traffic signs, lower speed limits, or even a new on-and-off ramp to improve access and safety.
Jason Gibson, the sales manager of Protech Steel, recently suggested a ramp concept at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. "One way that we thought we could help is to campaign for an off-ramp from the northbound lane to the 34th Street overpass, and a southbound on-ramp at the same location," Gibson told me.
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) reports that those changes are being implemented.
Administrator Jim Wingerter stated that the department is proposing road upgrades, such as a new westbound left-turn lane and an eastbound right-turn lane on 34th Street.
“We’re going to widen it out and put in turning lanes,” Wingerter said. "Hopefully, that'll help alleviate some of the stop-and-go traffic and reduce crashes at that intersection."
In addition to the added lanes, MDT intends to install sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and wider roads, in a separate area by the Watson Coulee area with construction beginning in the summer of 2027.
The proposed changes aim to improve traffic safety and efficiency for both residents and businesses in the rapidly expanding industrial park area.
