The US 2 - Culbertson project draws on recommendations from the 2012 Culbertson Corridor Planning Study to deliver an improved two-lane highway design capable of meeting the needs of all roadway users.
Engineering
Enhanced Design: MDT seeks to reconstruct US 2 to enhance safety features for motorists and pedestrians. Two 12-foot travel lanes will be constructed, along with center-left-turn lanes where appropriate.
New Roadway Surface: Originally constructed in 1956, this segment of US 2 needs significant rehabilitation. The project will reconstruct the roadway surface to address deterioration. MDT will resurface US 2 with concrete for part of the project to better accommodate the rigors of heavy trucks. The rest of the project will be resurfaced with asphalt.
Improved Drainage: Lack of curb and gutter along US 2 in Culbertson leads to poor drainage and standing water, accelerating roadway deterioration. The project will incorporate new curb, gutter, and storm drain in the more urbanized locations throughout the project area.
Safety
Visibility Improvements: An enhanced LED rapid flashing beacon will be installed at the school crosswalk to improve driver awareness, as recommended in the 2012 Corridor Planning Study. Additionally, some on-street parking, particularly near intersections, will be removed to enhance vehicle sight distance and pedestrian visibility.
Center Left Turn Lanes: Center left-turn lanes will be constructed, where feasible, including between MT Highway 16 (MT 16) South and MT 16 North. Center lanes remove turning vehicles from through traffic, reducing the potential for some types of crashes and enhancing traffic flow.
Defined Driveways: Poorly defined access points confuse drivers and pedestrians, increasing the risk of conflicts between pedestrians and turning vehicles. Installation of curb and gutter where none exists in the most developed and densely accessed segment along US 2 will define the widths of driveways (while simultaneously managing storm flow along the street). The project seeks to eliminate expansive unconstrained vehicle movements between property frontages and US 2.
Community Improvements
Sidewalk + Intersection Curb Ramps: Curb ramps will be added and upgraded to meet ADA standards. New, 5-foot-wide sidewalks will be installed along the back side of the roadway curb and gutter, which can fit within the right-of-way, and will connect to existing sidewalks to improve connectivity and safety for non-motorized users.
New sidewalk corners with flatter gentler ramped slopes will ease access for those with disabilities, parents with strollers, and other users to step down or up to side street intersection crosswalks.
Public Parking + Museum Path: An improved public parking area next to the school fields will be included to accommodate the loss of some on-street parking. A new shared-use path will be built from the end of the new sidewalk easterly along US 2 to the museum.