MDT recommends new 30 mph zone through Columbia Falls; council to review report
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Summary
Montana Department of Transportation recommended creating a single 30 mph urban zone that would combine existing 25- and 35-mph segments on US 2 through Columbia Falls, while leaving 45- and 55-mph segments unchanged; city staff will review the report and submit comments within the 60‑day window.
Rebecca Anderson, district traffic engineer for the Montana Department of Transportation, told the Columbia Falls City Council that MDT’s speed‑profile and contextual analysis recommends creating a single 30 mph urban speed zone through the core of town to replace the current 25‑ and 35‑mph segments.
The recommendation is based on 2024 traffic counts and a speed‑profile analysis that considered 50th and 85th percentile speeds, crash history and roadway context. Anderson said annual average daily traffic in Columbia Falls reached about 20,000 vehicles in 2024, that MDT reviewed a three‑year crash history (50 crashes on the three‑mile study corridor with clusters at River Drive and the A&W approach) and that prevailing speeds in several segments exceeded posted limits.
Why it matters: Council members and residents raised pedestrian safety and enforcement concerns. The city’s police chief told the council the department responded to about 157 collisions in the comparable time frame and estimated roughly 900–1,000 enforcement tickets per year along the corridor, and residents urged caution before raising posted limits. Resident Kelly said, “Raising that is just putting our kids at risk,” during public comment.
Council response and next steps: Council members asked whether city crash and citation data were included in MDT’s dataset. Anderson said MDT would confirm whether local crash reports had been incorporated; staff indicated they will compile local records and that the city has a 60‑day comment period. The council directed staff to review the report and bring any recommended edits or a comment letter back for consideration.
MDT also presented a separate North Fork Road recommendation to add a 55‑mph transitional zone to smooth a rapid rural→urban speed change; MDT recommended no immediate change to that segment’s 45‑mph urban zone.
The planning packet also notes a planning board public hearing on the Teacettle Heights annexation for Monday, April 13; the packet lists a subsequent council hearing date. The council did not adopt any speed changes at the meeting and will record formal comments within the stated comment period.
