State officials to host virtual and in person meetings on Montana 35 reconstruction project

Officials with the Montana Department of Transportation are planning on hosting two open houses to share design progress on an upcoming project to reconstruct Montana 35.

The state Transportation Department and its consultant WGM Group are currently preparing preliminary design plans for what is known as the Ice Box Canyon project. The undertaking will see Montana 35 in the Bigfork area, from just south of the intersection with Peaceful Drive to just north of the intersection with Chapman Hill Road, reconstructed.

The aim of the open houses is to share design progress with residents. Those interested can attend in person or virtually.

“This reconstruction project is important to the Bigfork community, offers many benefits for the area, and will establish a precedent for other Highway 35 projects in Bigfork going forward,” said Bob Vosen, Missoula District administrator for the state department. “Our team is looking forward to sharing the planned improvements with the community at the upcoming open houses and answering any questions they may have.”

The in-person event will be held at the Bigfork High School Community Room at 600 Commerce St. on Aug. 23, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. No formal presentation will be made, and all are welcome to stop by at any time during the event. Plans and informational display boards will be available for viewing, and the project team will be available to answer any questions. There will also be an opportunity to provide written comments.

The virtual event will be held via Zoom on Aug. 24, from noon to 1 p.m. Attendees can expect a brief slideshow presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session, and an opportunity to provide comments.

Registration is required to gain access to the meeting. To register, visit bit.ly/IceBoxCanyonVirtualOpenHouse.

“We strongly encourage residents to attend one of the open houses to learn more about the project, which includes plans for a proposed share-used path,” said Trevor Iman, project design manager with WGM Group. “The shared-used path is a popular feature of the project, and we have received feedback that it should be extended to include the full length of the roadway project. This will require public support and a commitment from the county to maintain the extended path.”

The Ice Box Canyon project will reconstruct more than one mile of Montana 35. The highway will be reconstructed to include 12-foot travel lanes in each direction, a center left-turn lane between Peaceful Drive and the south end of Ice Box Canyon, a raised median barrier through the canyon and a left-turn lane for northbound travelers at Chapman Hill Road.

Drainage will be improved through the installation of curbs and gutters. Also included in the plan is a proposed 10-foot-wide shared-use path within the project limits.

A timeframe for construction has yet to be established.

Those who cannot attend either event can still ask questions and provide comments by contacting Sloane Stinson at sloane@bigskypublicrelations.com or by calling the project hotline at 406-207-4484, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. For more information about the Ice Box Canyon project, visit www.mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/iceboxcanyon/.