MT Highway 248 Timber Bridge Replacement Begins Early November

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and Sletten Construction will begin preparations to replace two timber bridges on MT Highway 248 (MT 248) in early November 2022, weather permitting. These bridge replacement projects are part of a broader Timber Bridges – Glasgow Area project underway to replace up to 16 timber bridges within three years in northeastern Montana.

“Replacing Montana’s aging timber bridges is a top priority for MDT,” said Shane Mintz, MDT Glendive district administrator. “These structures are vital to keeping Montanans connected and our economy moving forward.”

The State’s aging timber structures have limited service-life remaining. MDT is proactively investing in replacing this aging infrastructure through an innovative bridge bundling program. The 16 Glasgow-area bridges are being proposed for replacement as a bundle through this program.

Utilizing a design-build contract, the consultant design firm, Morrison-Maierle, has been working alongside Sletten Construction from the start of the project, allowing the bundled projects to move more efficiently from design to construction-ready. This partnership has allowed the project team to develop better solutions, reduce project costs, and maintain quality while expediting project delivery.

“Sletten Construction is proud to partner with MDT and Morrison-Maierle on this forward- thinking project that is so important to our state,” said Bridge Division Manager of Sletten Construction Russell Robertson, “We are eager to get these first projects underway, two of nine timber structures tentatively scheduled to be replaced in 2023.”

Work this fall includes constructing detours around these first two structures in preparation for full construction tentatively planned for early 2023. The timber bridges both span unnamed drainage ditches. One bridge, located on MT 248 five miles east of Richland, will be replaced by a 65-foot, single-span concrete bridge. The other bridge, also located on MT 248, is seven miles east of Richland and will be replaced by a single-barrel, precast, 24 by 8- foot concrete culvert.

The constructed detours will be directly adjacent to the current structures, and minimal traffic disruptions are anticipated. Traffic control will be on site, speed limits will be reduced, and shoulder closures will be in place throughout the construction zones. Brief, single-lane road closures may be periodically required.

Regularly scheduled email and text updates will be available during construction. To sign up for updates, or if you have questions or concerns, email Sloane at [email protected] or call the hotline at 406-207-4484, operating during business hours. Those interested in learning more can visit mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/glasgowtb/.

Improving Montana’s thousands of miles of state roads and highways is a vital component of Vision Zero. Vision Zero is an ongoing statewide collaboration among hundreds of agencies and organizations, which strives for the goal of zero deaths and zero serious injuries on Montana’s roadways.

Alternative accessible formats of this document will be provided upon request. Persons who need an alternative format should contact the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Transportation, 2701 Prospect Avenue, PO Box 201001, Helena, MT 59620. Telephone 406- 444-5416 or Montana Relay Service at 711.