The Montana Department of Transportation and Schellinger Construction will return on June 21, weather permitting, to complete final improvements on the Great Falls North U.S. Highway 87 project, from Dent Bridge Road to Great Bear Avenue.

Final construction activities include chip sealing and painting permanent road lines and markings. Drivers should anticipate minor delays and are encouraged to watch for workers, equipment, and signage when traveling this stretch of highway, according to MDT.

“We thank the community for their patience and support as we complete the final improvements on this important project,” Great Falls District Administrator Jim Wingerter said in a release. “This roadway has seen increased vehicle traffic in recent years, and these improvements will provide a safer and more efficient travel experience for many years to come.”

Final improvements will occur in four stages.

First, crews will chip seal the project site, which will take roughly two days. 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, increasing the durability and longevity of the road, according to MDT.

Crews will then return 24 hours later to sweep loose chips from the roadway and paint temporary road lines. The chip sealed surface is then left to set for 30 to 45 days, after which workers will return for the final stage, applying the permanent epoxy pavement markings and striping. This schedule may change due to the weather, as warm, dry conditions are necessary for chip sealing work, according to MDT.

Once complete, MDT and Schellinger Construction will have improved about seven miles of U.S. Highway 87. This section of Highway 87 now has 12-foot-wide travel lanes and eight-foot-wide shoulders. There are also two travel lanes in each direction, plus a center turn lane from Black Horse Lake Road to just past the top of the north hill. Turn lanes at Black Eagle Road and Morony Dam Road have also been installed, according to MDT.

For questions, contact Sloane Stinson at sloane@bigskypublicrelations.com or call the project hotline at (406) 207-4484 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also sign up to receive updates by texting “GREATFALLSNORTH” to 41411. For more information about the project, visit the project webpage at https://bit.ly/GFNorth.