BILLINGS BYPASS EIS
BE A PART OF THE PLANNING PROCESS

Project Description:
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has initiated the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed bypass route north of Billings. The proposed project involves the development of a bypass route connecting I-90 east of Billings with MT Highway 3 northwest of Billings. The proposed bypass would also connect with Highway 312 and US 87. The project area extends approximately five miles north of Billings, and includes the area east of MT Highway 3 and west of the I-90/94 corridor.

The Billings North Bypass Feasibility Study, completed in 2001, investigated a bypass in the Billings area as part of the Camino-Real International trade corridor connecting Canada to Mexico. The study used a five-mile wide corridor north of Billings in order to assess the feasibility of a bypass route connecting the I-90/94 interchange area east of Billings with N-53 (MT 3) west of Billings. This study area was selected by a consultant team and approved by the project steering committee. The study concluded that a bypass was feasible from an economic and engineering perspective, and should be advanced for environmental analysis and refinement.

The intent of this EIS is to validate the study area developed for the feasibility study, assess the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project, and develop a preliminary design for the bypass route. Currently, the Billings urban area has no connecting route north of the city, forcing external traffic on routes entering the city from the north to utilize urban routes. The bypass is intended to serve three primary functions in and around the project area. As previously stated, the bypass route would serve as part of the Camino-Real International Trade Corridor connecting Canada and Mexico. The bypass would also alleviate congestion on a number of principal arterial streets including but not limited to Main Street, Lake Elmo, Airport Road, 4th Avenue North, and 6th Avenue North. In addition, the project would reduce travel times and improve safety for external traffic including commercial vehicles traveling the trade corridor route.

The planning process for Billings Bypass will take approximately three years, concluding near the end of 2008. The public is invited to participate in the planning process; a series of public meetings and workshops are being held in Billings, starting in 2006 and continuing through 2008. Please visit our project schedule and public meetings pages for more information.

We will post new information about the Billings Bypass EIS as it becomes available. Please check back with this site over the course of the project for new information.