MDT enters busiest road construction season, urges drivers to slow down
MDT says 238 active contracts are driving a packed summer of road work statewide, and Helena-area drivers are being told to expect delays, slower speeds and more work zones.
Helena commuters are heading into the stretch of the year when Montana road crews are at their busiest, and the Department of Transportation is asking drivers to slow down, watch the signs and build extra time into daily trips.
Statewide engineer Dave Gates said summer is the busiest season for construction and maintenance on Montana roads. MDT says it has about $2.1 billion tied up in 238 active contracts, a workload spread across a short building window that runs roughly from April through October before winter shutdowns pause most projects from mid-November through mid-April.
That schedule matters in Lewis and Clark County because even projects outside Helena can ripple into local traffic patterns, school runs and work schedules. MDT maintains about 10,800 miles of roads and highways statewide, and its tentative construction program stretches across a five-year horizon from 2026 to 2030, underscoring how much of that network can be under repair at any given time.
The department says its traffic management plans are designed to reduce delays while protecting workers, but speed remains a major problem in work zones. Project manager Mark Huntington said the compressed construction calendar means crews have to make the most of good weather, while lead project inspector Caden Gustafson said keeping work zones set up properly and communicating constantly with truck drivers and coworkers is central to avoiding injuries. Gates said the clearest measure of a successful season is safety, with every effort made so workers get home safely at the end of the day.
Montana officials say the danger is real. Between 2020 and 2024, work zones averaged 235 crashes a year statewide, including 12 fatal crashes and 284 injury crashes. MDT and state officials use National Work Zone Awareness Week at the start of construction season to push that message again, along with a reminder that patience behind the wheel can prevent another serious collision.
For travelers, the practical tools are already in place. MDT’s traveler information system lists road conditions, incidents, road work, restrictions, rest areas, cameras, message signs and weather in one place. Its 511 service provides continual updates by phone or internet on weather-related road conditions, road work, commercial vehicle restrictions, road closures, chain requirements and other travel information.
MDT says its Work Zone Safety & Mobility Policy is meant to improve safety for employees, construction workers and the public while preserving mobility for travelers and goods. With more than 2,000 employees across Montana and a summer calendar packed with projects, the message for Helena-area drivers is plain: slow down, check 511 and expect the road system to be under pressure all season long.
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