Improvements on Highway 87 north of Great Falls complete 

Press release

The Montana Department of Transportation has completed the Great Falls North project, which included nearly seven miles of improvements on U.S. Highway 87, the primary route between Havre and Great Falls, between Dent Bridge Road and Great Bear Avenue.

Schellinger Construction, the prime contractor for the project, facilitated construction by widening the existing roadway and installing intermittent passing and turn lanes. Throughout the past two months, sub-contractor United Materials of Great Falls Inc. completed the final improvements, including chip sealing the project and applying permanent pavement markings and striping.

“We are proud to have partnered with MDT and our subcontractors to complete this vital community project,” Schellinger Construction Treasurer Bob Warren said. “Together, our hard work and dedication to building high-quality projects will ensure travelers have a safe and efficient experience for years to come.”

Construction began in fall 2020 when crews placed embankments along the sides of the roadway in preparation for spring construction the following year. Beginning the embankment process in the fall allowed the dirt to settle during the winter and created a solid foundation for crews to start road-widening work in the spring. This allows the road to endure many more years of travel, producing a greater return on investment and ultimately saving taxpayer dollars.

“Highway 87, and this stretch, in particular, has seen increased traffic in recent years, making these improvements a necessity,” MDT Great Falls District Administrator Jim Wingerter said. “We are grateful for the community’s support throughout the project and will continue to work hard to improve the many roadways in our district.”

Construction ramped back up in spring 2021 as crews began tearing up the road surface and excavating the project site. As the year progressed, crews widened the 7-mile stretch on U.S. Highway 87 to include eight feet in additional shoulder room. Crews also installed a center turn lane from Black Horse Lake Road to just past the top of the north hill and turn lanes at Black Eagle Road and Morony Dam Road.

In June 2022, workers returned briefly to complete the final improvements, including chip sealing and applying the final road markings and striping. Chip sealing, the process of applying a thin film of heated asphalt liquid on the road surface, followed by the placement of small aggregates, helps prevent water from penetrating the surface.