May 2025
The planned design for the Kalispell Bypass at Airport Road, located just north of the Basecamp Drive intersection, will include a new interchange similar to the one completed at Foys Lake Road in 2022. The existing roundabout at Airport Road will be removed and replaced with a double-roundabout interchange, featuring an overpass, four access ramps, and two roundabouts where the ramps connect with Airport Road. Additionally, Cemetery Road will be realigned to connect with the roundabout on the east side of the Bypass. The Bypass and the Ashley Creek South bridge will be widened to four lanes.
The Kalispell Bypass and southern US Highway 93 (US 93) intersection will be improved to 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 enter the bypass.
As this work progresses, the community will have an opportunity to view conceptual designs. The project team will host an open house in the fall of 2025 to share designs in greater depth. Details about that event will be communicated as they become available.
Funding for construction has not yet been identified. A construction timeline will be set once funding is secured, and the project design is completed.
September, 2021
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and KLJ Engineering are making great progress on the US 93/Kalispell Bypass intersection study.
MDT and KLJ Engineering are currently completing a study on the south end of the Kalispell Bypass. This study has been progressing through the summer and will continue through this fall with results and initial concepts available at the end of the year. This information will help determine intersection solutions for the Kalispell Bypass/US 93 and Basecamp Drive intersections.
Over the last few weeks, the KLJ Engineering project team has gathered detailed crash analysis, collected traffic data, and connected with local stakeholders along US 93 and adjacent to the study area to gather feedback. Based upon all of the information gathered and analyzed to date, the project team is now moving into the alternatives development phase for the initial intersection improvement concepts.
The study is very much still in progress. However, if you have additional feedback, comments, or questions, please email Becca at
Updates will be provided as the study continues and results are determined.
June, 2021
Kalispell Bypass: US Highway 93 and Basecamp Drive Intersection Study Underway
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) in partnership with KLJ Engineering are moving forward with plans to study the Basecamp Drive and US Highway 93 intersection to determine the best possible configuration for future construction plans.
To provide a bit of background, KLJ Engineering studied the Basecamp Drive intersection in 2019 and presented potential intersection selection options to the public. These alternatives are located on the project webpage. While MDT is advancing on other intersections along this corridor, such as Foys Lake Road and Airport Road, the 2019 study identified a bottleneck traffic issue at the intersection of the Kalispell Bypass and US Highway 93. This has a ripple effect on the Basecamp Drive intersection configuration.
With this challenge in mind, MDT will proceed with an additional traffic analysis to study the Kalispell Bypass/US 93 intersection to determine the best solution for the Basecamp Drive intersection. The study will be conducted in the summer and fall of 2021 with results available towards the end of the calendar year. These results will then be used to determine suitable intersection configuration options in the coming year or two. The timeframe for construction will be determined once a design schedule and funding are determined.
Please email Becca at