BOZEMAN — Beginning Monday, July 17, parts of Huffine Lane will be under construction. If you drive around Bozeman, you know that this will just be one of many road projects underway this summer.
“There’s a lot of potholes and I think it's necessary. Obviously, it's a bit annoying in terms of traffic in the summer, but I think it's necessary," said Joseph Kerr, Bozeman resident.
Kerr has lived in Bozeman for three years and works downtown. He believes the road construction around town is needed.
“I totally get it, because personally, my experience is I don't like the potholes, so I get why they need to do it in person," said Kerr. "I've had experience on the construction side and I'm studying civil engineering. So, just knowing what happens and building a road, it takes a lot of work and winters just beat it up.”
City Transportation Engineer Taylor Lonsdale says there are several road projects to be aware of.
These include the reconstruction of Cottonwood between Oak Street and Baxter Lane with a roundabout at Baxter and Cottonwood.
MDT has two large projects at the intersection of North 7th and Griffin as well as pavement preservation starting all along Huffine between Four Corners and 19th Avenue.
As well as an annual street maintenance project that includes mill and overlay as well as chip seal.
"We should be done with paving on Ferguson, Oak Street, and Babcock here in downtown by Wednesday of next week," said Lonsdale. “They're all going to be causing backups. Huffine lane won't be fully closed, but it's going to be down to one lane in some places and that certainly is going to cause congestion."
Lonsdale says the city understands the community's frustrations with traffic congestion and road closures, but assures it’s for the best.
“Particularly the mill and overlay, our pavement preservation projects, those really extend the life of our pavement and hopefully eliminate the need to come in and close the street down for long periods of time to dig it up,” said Lonsdale.
For community members like Kerr, he’d have to agree
“Definitely do a lot of construction. I think it's necessary, though, just because of our winters," said Kerr.
You can find more information on road conditions at https://www.bozeman.net/departments/transportation-engineering/streets/street-reports.
