Road work on Montana 35 resumes this week

Construction work on Montana 35 between Creston and Bigfork will resume this week.

Work will take place at nighttime only, but reduced speeds and uneven lanes will remain in place during the daytime. Work will take place through Friday, May 23, at noon when crews will break for the Memorial Day weekend. Crews may return the following Tuesday, May 27, to perform additional night paving.

“Originally we wanted to get out in April and start work on this project, but low temperatures caused us to delay the project until May,” said Ryan Paulsen, MDT Engineering Project Manager. “The contractor plans to work at nights depending on weather to try and complete a majority of the paving work prior to Memorial Day weekend.”

When work on this project begins, motorists should expect reduced speed limits, single-lane traffic, traffic controlled by flaggers or temporary signals, delays of up to 15 minutes, and width restrictions at times.

Crews will return approximately 30 days after paving to apply a seal and cover (chip seal) and final paint markings to the highway.

The purpose of this project is to extend the service life of the state highway, improve the ride of the existing pavement and enhance roadway safety features. Work on the project began in the fall of 2024 when crews crack sealed the roadway shoulders and installed new signage.

Construction is anticipated to be completed in the 2025 construction season.

This project area begins about 1 mile southeast of Creston and ends about a half mile south of the Montana 35 junction with Montana 83.

This section of highway was originally constructed in 1957 and has seen increased use since then. The last major reconstruction on this stretch of roadway was in 1996, but since then it has only received minor repairs and maintenance. As a result, the roadway surface has become worn down and needs repairs. This project is a cost-effective way of ensuring the highway receives these critical repairs, so it can continue to serve the traveling public for many years to come.

The public is encouraged to contact Tyler Manning at Tyler@rbci.net or 406-545-0800 with questions or comments about the project.

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