Updated Sept. 27

North River Road between 15th Street Northeast and 10th Street Northeast is closed to through traffic indefinitely.

Traffic will be detoured so drivers are asked to be aware of work signs, detours and road closures.

Les Payne, county planning director, said that they’re working on utility system repairs and he hopes to know more about the work and closure later this week.

Payne said on Sept. 23 that there’s no estimated timeline for when the road will reopen.

Chris Gaub, city planning director, told The Electric on Sept. 25 that there’s a utility break being repaired requiring the road and the River’s Edge Trail in that area being closed for safety.

Gaub said they don’t have a timeline for the repair but that it will likely take awhile.

In a Sept. 26 release from the city regarding the closure, city officials said there’s a storm drainage utility break that may undermine the road and the trail.

They said the county, city and Montana Department of Transportation are working to address the issue.

In response to questions from The Electric, Payne said on Sept. 27 that the county, city and MDT were working to get the area reopened as soon as they feel it’s safe and find an interim solution.

They’re working to determine which entity owns the section of pipe and road that will need to be repaired.

Once they have the area reopened, Payne said they’d sort out who owns what and who is responsible for what.

Payne said they haven’t yet determined what caused the damage and weren’t aware of any issues prior to late last week when a city employee discovered the break.

He said there are no current visual or obvious issues with the trail or road, but are taking precautions until they’re certain.

On Sept. 23, city public works staff contacted county public works and MDT regarding two sinkholes near North River Road, one between the Missouri River and the River’s Edge Trail just east of the old 9th Street bridge, the other behind the curb radius at the intersection of North River Road and 10th Street Northeast, Payne said.

Both sinkholes are at the end of a failing storm drain culvert and at this time, officials don’t know the limits of the sinkholes, Payne said, so out of an abundance of caution, they closed the road the trail to through traffic.

They anticipate surveying, utility potholes and excavation work taking place over the next one to three weeks.

Payne said they’ll provide updates as the extent of the break becomes clearer.

For more information, contact Cascade County public works at 406-454-6920.