Montana Road Construction Alert: Traffic Changes Coming On I-90

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - The Montana Department of Transportation will begin a new pavement construction project the week of May 6 that will reroute traffic for the next two construction seasons.

I spoke with Joan Redeen, Executive Administrative Communications Assistant about the project.

MDOT Project will Redirect Traffic from Idaho east into Montana

“We are going to begin pavement reconstruction activities on Interstate 90,” began Redeen. “The project begins about three miles east of the Montana Idaho border and continues for approximately three miles, so it runs from mile markers 3.4 to 5.7. It's in the vicinity of Taft and the Taft interchange.”

Redeen said the entire project is expected to encompass two full construction seasons.

The Projects will take Two Construction Seasons to Complete

“The contractor is expected to begin work the week of May 6, and it's going to take two construction seasons to complete,” she said. “By that I mean the plan is for them to do the eastbound side this season and the westbound side next season within those mile markers.”

Redeen explained how one lane of traffic will be diverted for both of the projects.

“They'll be taking all the folks who are currently driving eastbound and they will be relocated to a crossover and drive westbound,” she said. “So it will be single lane traffic in the westbound side for those three miles of this project, and it actually, of course extends a little bit beyond three miles when you do those crossovers like that.”

The following season in 2025 will be exactly the opposite.

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The Total Budget for both Projects is set at $38 Million

Following this current project, we will have a new two-year project (Lookout Pass – East, Segment 1) that will be put out for bid and will run from the Montana/Idaho Border to the 3.4-mile marker and will run over a two-year period of 2026 and 2027. This second project has not been put out to bid yet and won’t be until late fall 2025. 

One important aspect of the project is that the road will be paved with concrete instead of asphalt, so the projects will extend for two construction seasons.

Redeen said the budget for both directions will be approximately $38 million.