BILLINGS — Construction on phase two of six of the Billings Bypass project is moving along on schedule with Montana Department of Transportation construction crews working on a new roundabout on Five Mile Road.
“The paving and the new curb work on the roundabout should begin the first part of October," said James Stevenson, engineering project manager on Monday.
During construction of the roundabout, for about 60 days the western stretch of of Mary street past Bitterroot Drive, along with a portion of Five Mile Road will be closed to thru traffic. Local access will be maintained for the residents of about a dozen homes in the construction area, Stevenson said.
Access will also be maintained for visitors to nearby Dover Park on Mary Street. Park visitors are asked to stay away from the construction area to allow crews to work.
In the mean time, traffic will be be diverted to Bitterroot Drive and Dover Road. Work on the roundabout and repaving a section of Five Mile Road is expected to be complete in the first week of November
View the map below for a view of the construction area and detour.
The roundabout on Five Mile Road will eventually connect eastward to a new bridge over the Yellowstone River. Stevenson said progress on the bridge is moving along well on schedule. Crews finished pouring cement for the last bridge abutment on Monday.
“The bridge is made of two bridges, essentially. We have poured what is called frame two. From the north side, or the end abutment to the middle of the bridge is completed. We poured the last section this morning," Stevenson said.
The Billings Bypass project is large, with many different parts. The new roadways will connect Lockwood to Billings Heights and allow another option for traffic to go around the city, rather than cut through it using Main Street.
The project has a tentative completion date sometime in 2025. To learn more about the bypass and its individual phases, visit the Montana Department of Transportation website by clicking here.
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