Interstate 90 in Montana

This article is about the section of Interstate 90 in Montana. For the entire route, see Interstate 90.

Interstate 90 marker

Interstate 90
Riverbend North
Route information
Maintained by MDT
Length: 554.10 mi[1] (891.74 km)
Major junctions
West end: I-90 at Idaho state line
 
East end: I-90 / US 87 at Wyoming state line
Location
Counties: Mineral, Missoula, Granite, Powell, Deer Lodge, Silver Bow, Jefferson, Broadwater, Gallatin, Park, Sweet Grass, Stillwater, Yellowstone, Big Horn
Highway system

Montana Highways
Secondary

MT 89US 91

Interstate 90 in Montana (I-90) is a portion of the east–west transcontinental Interstate 90, which links Seattle, Washington to Boston, Massachusetts. The portion in the US state of Montana is 554.10 miles (891.74 km) long, linking fourteen counties through central and southern Montana.

Route description

Mineral County

Interstate 90 enters Montana and Mineral County from Shoshone County, Idaho over the 4,725-foot (1,440 m) high Lookout Pass, which traverses the Coeur d'Alène Mountains of the Bitterroot Range, and immediately has its first interchange, a partial cloverleaf serving extreme northwest Mineral County. The highway continues southeasterly through woodlands, paralleling the St. Regis River, before meeting the Dena Mora (Lookout Pass) rest area 4.7 mi (7.6 km) east of the Idaho–Montana border.[2] About a 12 mi (0.80 km) from the rest stop is a diamond interchange, serving a small minor road into the St. Joe National Forest in Idaho. The highway continues, winding through the woodlands until another diamond interchange, serving the small unincorporated community of Saltese. Continuing east for about 6 mi (9.7 km), each direction diverges for a small distance before returning side to side for a diamond interchange serving the unincorporated community of Haugan.[3][4]

Two miles (3.22 km) after Haugan, I-90 intersects the census-designated place (CDP) of De Borgia, continuing southeasterly, intersecting several minor roads, before reaching the CDP of St. Regis and Montana Highway 135 (MT 135). The highway stops paralleling the St. Regis river, and begins to parallel, and cross over several times, the Clark Fork river. Superior, the county seat, is intersected before the highway turns south through the Quartz Flats rest area, located 58.2 mi (93.7 km) from the Idaho border.[2] After leaving the rest area, the highway straightens out, heading easterly. The highway continues east before exiting the county, just south of Alberton.[3][4]

Missoula, Granite and Powell counties

I-90 in Granite County, facing east

Entering Missoula County, the highway intersects Alberton, before continuing easterly through Huson and MT 263. The highway continues southeast before intersecting the concurrent highways U.S. Route 93 (US 93) and MT 200, which join I-90 from the west. The three highways continue into the county seat of Missoula, where at the first exit, US 93 leaves on the western border of Missoula and travels through Orchard Homes. The next two exits travel into downtown Missoula, while the last exit serves East Missoula. US 12 joins I-90 and MT 200 exits to the north of the highway outside of Missoula, paralleling the Blackfoot River as I-90 continues east, following and then intersecting Montana Secondary Highway 210 (S-210) in Clinton. The Bearmouth rest area, 142.8 mi (229.8 km) from the Idaho border, is intersected before crossing the Missoula–Granite County border.[2][3][4]

After entering Granite County, I-90 has an interchange with an access road to the Garnet Back Country Byway,[5] providing access to the Garnet Range on the west slope of the Rocky Mountains. The highway passes north of the Lolo National Forest while headed easterly. The highway continues through northern Granite county, intersecting MT 1 before exiting the county entering Powell County. Thirteen miles (29.92 km) after entering the county, I-90 intersects MT 272, which clips the eastern segment of the Lolo National Forest, before the seasonal Gold Creek rest area is intersected.[2] Garrison is northeast of the highway as US 12 ends its concurrency, traveling north from I-90 towards the state capital of Helena. I-90 turns south, paralleling former Northern Pacific Railway trackage,[6] before intersecting S-275 and the county seat, Deer Lodge. Continuing south, Dempsey is the final city intersected by I-90 before entering Deer Lodge County.[3][4]

Deer Lodge, Silver Bow and Jefferson counties

Interstate 90 bisects the northern tip of Deer Lodge County, in a southwesterly direction. Galen and S-273 are intersected, before the highway passes west of the Warm Springs State Wildlife Management Area. After passing the wildlife management area, the highway passes by Warm Springs and MT 48. Just northwest of the Deer Lodge–Silver Bow County border, I-90 intersects MT 1.[3][4]

Fairmont Hot Springs, accessible via S-441 is the first exit in Silver Bow County on I-90, as the highway starts to turn back towards the east. Ramsey is located in the southwest corner of the interchange where I-15 becomes concurrent with I-90 through Butte. On the western edge of Butte, I-115 continues east into town, as I-15/90 turns southeast, bypassing most of downtown Butte. An interchange with MT 2 serves the Bert Mooney Airport before I-15/90 split just east of Butte, with I-15 continuing north over the Continental Divide over the 6,368-foot (1,941 m) high Elk Park Pass, which straddles the Silver Bow–Jefferson County border. I-90 heads south then east, also entering Jefferson County, passing over the divide at Homestake Pass which is 6,375-foot (1,943 m) high. Jefferson County has interchanges with S-399 east of Pipestone and S-359 east of Cardwell before meeting the Jefferson–Broadwater County border.[3][4]

Broadwater, Gallatin and Park counties

I-90 through Bozeman Pass

There is only one exit along I-90 in Broadwater County, linking MT 2 in the south and US 287 north of the highway before crossing the Broadwater–Gallatin County border at the Missouri River. I-90 parallels S-205, bypassing the towns of Trident, Logan, Manhattan and Belgrade on the north of the highway. MT 85 travels south from I-90 in Belgrade, providing access to Bozeman Hot Springs. The highway then enters the city of Bozeman, the county seat, and intersects and becomes concurrent with US 191. Intersecting and traveling north from I-90 is MT 86 providing access to Bridger Bowl Ski Area. I-90 exits the county at the Gallatin–Park County border at 5,760-foot (1,760 m) high Bozeman Pass. US 89 intersects I-90 in the county seat of Livingston, and passing over the Yellowstone River. The highway continues northeasterly, paralleling the river, intersecting S-295 before crossing the Park–Sweet Grass County border.[3][4]

Sweet Grass and Stillwater counties

West of Park City facing west

Still paralleling the Yellowstone River, I-90 travels northwest intersecting S-298 and US 191 in the county seat of Big Timber. The highway turns back southeast, passing south of Greycliff and the Greycliff rest area, located 380.9 mi (613.0 km) from the Idaho border.[2] The highway passes through the Sweet Grass–Stillwater County border just west of Reed Point. After passing into Stillwater County, I-90 crosses over the river, and enters the county seat of Columbus, intersecting MT 78 south of the highway and S-306 on the north side of the highway. The highway is titled the Robert E. Ewing Jr. Memorial Highway between mileposts 410 and 424.[7] I-90 intersects the Columbus rest area, 418.8 mi (674.0 km) from the Idaho border,[2] followed by Park City before exiting Stillwater County.[3][4]

Yellowstone and Big Horn counties

US 212 becomes concurrent with I-90 just east of Laurel before entering the county seat of Billings. I-90 Bus. passes into town as the main freeway travels south of Billings and bisects Billings Heights and Lockwood intersecting MT 3 and US 87, which joins the I-90/US 212 concurrency. On the extreme eastern end of Billings, the three highways intersect the beginning of I-94, which heads northeast towards North Dakota, while I-90 turns southeast into Big Horn County. Immediately after entering Big Horn County the three highways pass the seasonal Hardin rest area.[2] Entering Hardin, the county seat, the three highways intersect S-313 and MT 47. S-313 provides access to Yellowtail Dam, while MT 47 connects back to I-94. After exiting Hardin, I-90 turns south, entering the Crow Indian Reservation and intersects S-384, before reaching Crow Agency. Crow Agency is home to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument and Reno–Benteen Battlefield Memorial, which are passed after US 212 departs to the east. Continuing south, I-90/US 87 parallels S-451 and the Little Bighorn River, passing by Garryowen, Benteen, Lodge Grass and Wyola before exiting the state of Montana and entering Sheridan County, Wyoming.[3][4]

Expansion of the Billings area corridor

The 2012 Billings area I-90 corridor planning study recommends many improvements to the corridor from Laurel through Lockwood, Among the improvements recommended are construction of a new east and westbound bridges over the Yellowstone River each bridge having three to four traffic lanes. Also recommended are construction of additional eastbound and additional westbound traffic lanes from Shiloh to Johnson Lane and reconstruction and widening of many of the bridges, interchanges and on-off ramps along the corridor at a cost of 114 million dollars.[8]

History

Interstate 90 replaced US 10 between Livingston and the Idaho border,[9] and before that, the Yellowstone Trail.[10]

Until 1995 in Montana near the Idaho border, I-90 was not a divided highway for a few stretches, having only a narrow paved median. From 1995 until 1999, the daytime maximum speed limit in Montana was "reasonable and prudent"; it is now 75 miles per hour (120 km/h). On I-90, at Exit 0 (right on the MT/ID border) is the Lookout Pass Ski Area, one exit east of there is the Hiawatha Trail (rails-to-trails).

The longest shutdown of an Interstate Highway occurred on Interstate 90, in 1996. The highway was closed for nineteen days due to a train derailment and chlorine spill near Alberton, Montana.[11]

Exit list

CountyLocationmi[12]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Mineral 0.0000.000 I-90 westContinuation into Idaho
 0.0770.1240Lookout Pass
 5.5808.9805Taft Area
 10.41816.76610Saltese
 16.54126.62016Haugan
 18.75230.17818De Borgia
 21.82035.11622Henderson
 25.21640.58125Drexel
 26.20742.17626Ward Creek RoadEastbound exit and entrance
 29.94048.18430Two Mile Road
 33.24053.49533 MT 135 St. Regis
 37.01659.57137Sloway Area
 42.24767.99043Dry Creek Road
Superior46.75175.23847 S-257 Superior
 54.65387.95555Lozeau, Quartz
 60.97198.12361Tarkio
 64.818–
65.565
104.314–
105.517
65Crystal Springs
 66.055106.30566Fish Creek Road
 69.483111.82270CyrWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
Alberton74.328119.61975 I90 Bus. east Alberton
Missoula 76.809123.61277 I90 Bus. west / S-507 (Petty Creek Road) Alberton
 81.765131.58882Nine Mile Road
 84.325135.70885Huson
 88.888143.05189Frenchtown
Wye95.483153.66596 US 93 north / MT 200 west KalispellWest end of US 93 / MT 200 overlap
 99.091159.47299Airway Boulevard
Missoula100.867162.330101 I90 Bus. east / US 93 south (Reserve Street) HamiltonEast end of US 93 overlap
103.930167.259104Orange Street
104.794168.650105 I90 Bus. west / US 12 west (Van Buren Street)West end of US 12 overlap
106.419171.265107East Missoula
 109.634176.439109 MT 200 east Bonner, Great FallsEast end of MT 200 overlap
 113.519182.691113Turah
 120.423193.802120Clinton
 125.475201.932126Rock Creek Road
 129.868209.002130Beavertail Road
Granite 137.524221.323138Bearmouth Area
Drummond152.802245.911153 MT 1 Drummond, PhilipsburgEastbound exit and westbound entrance
153.727247.400154 To MT 1 Drummond, PhilipsburgWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
Powell 161.637260.130162Jens
 165.360266.121166Gold Creek
 169.327272.505170Phosphate
 173.471279.175174 US 12 east Garrison, HelenaEast end of US 12 overlap; Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
 174.656281.082175 To US 12 east Garrison, HelenaNo westbound entrance
 178.245286.858179Beck Hill Road
Deer Lodge183.625295.516184 I90 Bus. east Deer Lodge
 186.640300.368187 I90 Bus. west Deer LodgeNo westbound entrance
 193.861311.989195Racetrack
Deer Lodge 196.271315.868197 S-273 Galen
 200.264322.294201Warm Springs
 206.336332.066208 MT 1 Anaconda, Opportunity
Silver Bow 209.806337.650211 S-441 – Gregson, Fairmont, Hot Springs
 214.860345.784216Ramsay
 217.337349.770219 I15 south Dillon, Idaho FallsWest end of I-15 overlap (Exits in the I-15 overlap are signed as I-15)
 218.408351.494222Rocker
 220.237354.437224 I115 east (I-15 Bus. north, I-90 Bus. east) City CenterEastbound exit and westbound entrance
Butte222.263357.698226Montana Street
223.883360.305227 I15 Bus. south / I90 Bus. west (Harrison Avenue, MT 2)Signed as exits 127A (south) and 127B (north) eastbound
 224.933361.995227 I15 north HelenaEast end of I-15 overlap
 226.785364.975228Continental Drive
 231.425372.442233Homestake
Jefferson 240.144386.474241Pipestone
Whitehall247.203397.835249 MT 55 to MT 69 Whitehall
 254.472409.533256 S-359 Cardwell, Boulder
 265.878427.889267Milligan Canyon Road
Broadwater 272.975439.311274 US 287 Helena, Ennis
Gallatin 276.514445.006278 MT 2 / S-205 Three Forks, Trident
 281.447452.945283Logan, Trident
 286.871461.674288 S-288 to S-346 Manhattan, Amsterdam
Belgrade296.474477.129298 MT 85 / S-291 Amsterdam, Belgrade, West Yellowstone
Bozeman303.434488.330305 S-412 (North 19th Avenue) / Springhill Road
305.084490.985306 I90 Bus. east / S-205 (North 7th Avenue) to US 191 south
307.568494.983309 I90 Bus. west / US 191 south (Main Street)West end of US 191 overlap
 311.207500.839313Bear Canyon Road
 314.528506.184316Trail Creek Road
 317.428510.851319Jackson Creek Road
 322.387518.832324Ranch Access
Park 328.850529.233330 I90 Bus. east Livingston
Livingston330.804532.377333 US 89 south Yellowstone National Park, Livingston City CenterWest end of US 89 overlap
 335.752540.340337 I90 Bus. west Livingston
 338.282544.412340 US 89 north White Sulphur SpringsEast end of US 89 overlap
 341.144549.018343Mission Creek Road
 348.308560.547350East End Access
 350.562564.175352Ranch Access
Sweet Grass 352.169566.761354 S-563 Springdale
 359.952579.287362De Hart
 365.541588.281367 I90 Bus. east / US 191 north Big Timber, HarlowtonEast end of US 191 overlap
 368.691593.351370 I90 Bus. west to US 191 north Big Timber, Harlowton
 375.932605.004377Greycliff
 382.929616.264384Bridger Creek Road
Stillwater 390.017627.672392Reed Point
 394.893635.519396Ranch Access
 398.526641.365400Springtime Road
 406.813654.702408 MT 78 Columbus
 424.583683.300426Park City
YellowstoneLaurel430.920693.499433 I90 Bus. east West LaurelEastbound exit and westbound entrance
432.039695.299434 US 212 west / US 310 Laurel, Red LodgeWest end of US 212 overlap
435.439700.771437 I90 Bus. west / South Frontage Road East Laurel
Billings441.444710.435443Zoo Drive, Shiloh Road
443.910714.404446 I90 Bus. east / King Avenue West, Mullowney Lane West Billings
445.150716.399447South Billings Boulevard Billings City Center
448.056721.076450 MT 3 (27th Street) Billings City Center
450.817725.520452 I90 Bus. west / US 87 north Roundup, Billings Heights, LockwoodWest end of US 87 overlap
453.263729.456455Johnson Lane Lockwood
454.264731.067456 I94 east Miles City, BismarckI-94 exit 0
 460.132740.511462Pryor Creek Road
 467.594752.520469Arrow Creek Road
Big Horn 476.564766.955478Fly Creek Road
 482.327776.230484Frontage Road – Toluca
Hardin493.863794.795495 I90 Bus. east / MT 47 Hardin City Center
 495.455797.358497 I90 Bus. west (Third Street) Hardin
 501.149806.521503Dunmore
 507.093816.087509Crow Agency
 508.758818.767510 US 212 east Little Bighorn Battlefield, BroadusEast end of US 212 overlap
 512.638825.011514Garryowen
 528.564850.641530 S-463 Lodge Grass
 541.924872.142544Wyola
 547.796881.592549Aberdeen
 554.105891.746 I-90 east / US 87 southContinuation into Wyoming
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

Route map: Bing / Google

  1. "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways". Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. October 31, 2002. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Montana Rest Areas (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. Montana Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 The Road Atlas (Map). 1 in ˜ 30 mi. Cartography by Rand McNally. Rand McNally. 2009. p. 60–61. ISBN 978-0-528-94219-8.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Montana Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Montana Department of Transportation. 2009.
  5. "Garnet Back Country Byway". National Scenic Byways Program. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  6. Helena Quadrangle (Map). 1:250,000. United States Geological Survey. April 1903. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  7. "60-1-213. Robert E. Ewing Jr. memorial highway.". Montana Code Annotated 2009. Montana Legislature. 2007. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
  8. "BILLINGS AREA I-90 CORRIDOR PLANNING STUDY". Retrieved 2013-01-29.
  9. Meeks, p. 127
  10. Junior Road Map – Montana (Map). Rand McNally. 1926.
  11. Kato, Dillon. "Workshop Uses 1996 Alberton Chlorine Spill to Teach Emergency Management.” Missoulian, May 3, 2015.
  12. "Montana Road Log" (PDF). Montana Department of Transportation. 2013. pp. 9–18. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
Interstate 90
Previous state:
Idaho
Montana Next state:
Wyoming
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