MDT to Host Open House on Roundabout Installation at Batavia Lane and U.S. Highway 2 Intersection
The open house will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 4 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Smith Valley School
By Maggie Dresser
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) on Tuesday will host an open house to educate the public and answer questions about the proposed roundabout design that is planned for the intersection of Batavia Lane and U.S. Highway 2 west of Kalispell.
Community members can learn about the intersection improvements at the open house hosted by Smith Valley School at 2901 U.S. Highway 2 on Tuesday, Feb. 4 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
MDT previously hosted several open houses to give the public an opportunity to engage in the project. The most common concern was pedestrian safety.
“We have been evaluating the safety concerns at this intersection and are now to a point where we can share the conceptual design with the community,” MDT Missoula District Administrator Bob Vosen said in a press release. “Public engagement has been important for this project to ensure the community remains informed. We hope that neighbors and travelers will join us as we share the proposed roundabout design for the Batavia Lane and U.S. Highway 2intersection safety enhancements.”
MDT collaborated with Robert Peccia and Associates (RPA), a transportation consulting group, to reconstruct the intersection and provide access to Smith Valley School, which lies to the southwest, and Kelly Rae’s Gas Station and Convenience Store to the northwest. Other stakeholders involved in the project include the Smith Valley Fire Department, Montana Motor Carriers and the Montana Logging Association.
Large commercial and logging truck traffic circulation was also considered a priority for intersection reconstruction, officials say the roundabout will accommodate large vehicles.
The Federal Highway Administration finalized a Road Safety Audit in 2014 and identified the intersection as a “location in need of safety and operational improvements.” In 2016, an MDT traffic study evaluated traffic signal and roundabout options and determined a roundabout would “best address the safety issues outlined in the 2014 audit.”
MDT installed a pair of rectangular rapid flashing beacons at the crosswalk in 2020 as part of an interim safety solution.
Crews in 2021 installed a roundabout at the Dern and Spring Creek intersection on U.S. Highway 2 to the east of the Batavia Lane intersection and has since improved safety and traffic flow.
Public members who cannot attend the open house but would like to provide feedback are encouraged to email Kristine Fife at [email protected] or call the project hotline at (406) 207-4484, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.