General Questions
Who is conducting this study?
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) is conducting this study in collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT), Lake County, Flathead County, resources agencies, and the public. Robert Peccia and Associates (RPA) is assisting MDT in completing the planning effort.
How can the public become involved in the study?
Members of the public are encouraged to participate in the planning process. Two sets of public informational meetings will be held during the corridor study process. Each set will include two in-person meetings at separate locations within the study corridor and one virtual meeting for a total of six opportunities for the public to participate in a public meeting about this corridor study.
Public comments will be collected and considered throughout the planning process. To submit a comment, please contact one of the study contacts or submit a comment here. A formal public review and commenting period will be held after the draft US 93 Polson-Somers Corridor Study is completed.
As part of the access management planning process for the corridor, letters will be mailed to all adjacent property owners. The letters will explain the access management planning process and how individuals may be affected.
Corridor Study Questions
What is a corridor study?
A corridor study is a planning-level assessment occurring before project-level activities and environmental compliance under the National and Montana Environmental Policy Acts (NEPA/MEPA). This process provides a link between early transportation planning and environmental compliance efforts and involves a planning–level evaluation of safety, operational, and environmental conditions to identify needs and constraints.
MDT can save time and money in subsequent project phases by facilitating early identification of constraints through coordination with local governments, resource agencies, and other stakeholders; screening of possible improvement options; and elimination of infeasible options.
A corridor study considers multiple improvement options to address the needs and objectives within a defined study area. The planning process is distinct from a NEPA/MEPA environmental compliance document and from design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction phases for an individual project.
For additional information, please see MDT's planning study process.
What does a "pre-NEPA/MEPA planning study" mean?
The National and Montana Environmental Policy Acts (NEPA/MEPA) require state and federal agencies to disclose impacts resulting from state and federal actions. In the context of transportation projects, the NEPA/MEPA process is intended to assist officials in making transportation decisions, while considering the human and natural environment and the need for a safe and efficient transportation network. The NEPA/MEPA process ensures that information about anticipated transportation project impacts is available to the public before decisions are made and executed.
A corridor study is a pre-NEPA/MEPA effort that involves a planning-level assessment of the study area. The planning process includes a review of potential environmental issues and concerns. The results of this planning-level environmental review could be used to assist in later NEPA/MEPA environmental compliance phases for an individual project.
What happens after the study is complete?
The corridor study will identify and evaluate potential improvement options for the study corridor. This early planning process is distinct from future environmental compliance, design, and construction phases of an individual project. If desired, MDT may advance identified improvements into design and construction phases as funding allows. Any future steps will be determined by MDT in conjunction with FHWA, CSKT, Lake County, and Flathead County.
Access Management Questions
What is an access management plan?
Access management is the careful planning of the location, design and operations of driveways, median openings, traffic signals and street connections. The purpose of access management is to provide access to properties in a manner that preserves the safety and efficiency of the transportation system.
Access management ordinances help alleviate the conditions caused by unregulated curb cuts and commercial development along major corridors by providing guidelines for traffic signal spacing, location of driveways, median openings, and multimodal options. In the absence of access management, growing corridors can deteriorate functionally and aesthetically, with rising levels of intersection congestion and turning-movement crashes affecting social, economic, physical, and environmental quality.
For more information, please visit MDT’s Access Management Design Standards & Policy page.
Why is MDT reviewing my access?
High numbers of approaches, limited sight distance, and major roadway junctions at unsignalized intersections are all factors that contribute to congestion and crash potential within the corridor. Implementing access management policies is recommended as a way to enhance the function of the existing road and promote safety. In order to complete the US 93 Polson-Somers Access Management Plan, MDT needs to know the location and size of every approach within the study corridor to meet the needs of landowners and comply with the access management guidelines.
How will access management affect my business?
Managing access on a roadway improves traffic flow and reduces crashes, which provides a better overall experience for business clientele. Access management also reduces traffic congestion. As congestion increases, it takes more time for motorists to reach their destination, frustrating potential customers. If a customer feels unsafe or uncomfortable accessing a business it may discourage them from making the trip. Please refer to the Safe Access is Good for Business report from the Federal Highway Administration for more information and studies that have been performed to determine business impacts from access management.
When will construction start?
No construction will occur with the Access Management Plan. The goal of the planning effort is to enhance the traffic safety and mobility of US 93 by managing and spacing approaches along the route. When finalized, the plans will help guide the approval of future requests for access along the highway and help landowners, developers, and local governments better understand how access management will affect the development of properties adjoining the road. Implementation will occur over time based on traffic and safety needs, available funding, and development/redevelopment opportunities.