July 2024
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and KLJ Engineering are pleased to inform you that work on the Kalispell Bypass and US Highway 93 (US 93) intersection has reached exciting milestones.
We extend our sincere gratitude for your patience and involvement as we determine and finalize design solutions for this integral intersection. Your input is invaluable to us.
Kalispell Bypass and Airport Road Intersection Update:
The selected design for the Kalispell Bypass and Airport Road location, just north of the Basecamp Drive intersection, will feature a new interchange similar to the Foys Lake Road interchange [youtube.com] completed in 2022, ensuring optimal traffic flow and safety for all travelers. The roundabout currently at Airport Road will be removed and replaced with a double-roundabout interchange, which will consist of an overpass, four access ramps, and a pair of roundabouts where the ramps intersect with Airport Road. Cemetery Road will be realigned to intersect with the roundabout on the east side of the Kalispell Bypass. Road work will also include widening the bypass and the Ashley Creek bridge to four lanes. This design choice reflects careful consideration of the Kalispell community's needs and traffic patterns, aligning with the project's goal of improving overall transportation infrastructure for current and future travelers.
A selected design for the Kalispell Bypass and US 93 intersection has also been finalized. It will include dual northbound left-turn lanes on US 93, doubling turning capacity for vehicles accessing the Kalispell Bypass. In addition, the design will include a merge acceleration lane on US 93 for vehicles turning south from the bypass onto US 93 towards Somers. The design will also include a southbound right-turn lane on US 93 to turn onto the bypass.
This year, the project team will finalize this design and contact area landowners to discuss potential impacts.
Project Timeline:
It is important to note that, at both locations, a construction timeline has yet to be identified and is not likely to occur for many years unless applications for federal grant money are successful. The projects are currently in the early design stages, with no allocated funding or selected contractor at this time. We want to assure you that ample notice will be provided as the project progresses and construction dates become more defined.
Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement in this important community project. Together, we look forward to enhancing the safety and functionality of our intersections for generations to come.
Questions? Call 406-207-4484 or email me at
MDT in collaboration with KLJ Engineering is designing about two miles of the Kalispell Bypass from Basecamp Drive to north of Airport Road. This project known as Kalispell Bypass – Basecamp Drive to Airport Road project. It begins east of the Basecamp Drive roundabout and extends to near Merganser Drive. The existing roadway will be widened with two more travel lanes, creating the final four-lane highway configuration with a center median. The new interchange will be constructed carrying Bypass traffic over top of Airport Road. The existing shared-use path will be maintained at its current location, with connections through the interchange.
More details and imagery on the interchange design will be posted here as materials are finalized. An open house will be scheduled and communicated to the public in 2024 to provide more extensive details.
With questions or feedback in the meantime, please email