Ronan aerial view

Project Overview

Through the Ronan – North and Ronan - Urban projects, the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) will reconstruct approximately four miles of US Highway 93 (US 93) through Ronan. US 93 is a busy route used by residents, visitors, and commercial vehicles to travel from Interstate 90 (I 90) and Missoula to Lake and Flathead Counties’ communities. In Ronan, traffic is often congested due to the highway traveling through Ronan’s busy downtown area. The problem worsens in the summer when tourists and recreationists head north to the lakes and Glacier National Park. Traffic is expected to increase significantly in the years to come.

Ronan - North

The Ronan-North project is the first project to be constructed. The project starts at the US 93 with Round Butte Road intersection in Ronan and extends north for approximately two miles, ending past Spring Creek Road.

Improvements include:

  • Widening US 93 to four lanes, with two travel lanes in each direction.
  • Installation of a new traffic signal at the Old US 93 with 3rd Avenue intersection.
  • Construction of a short, 600-foot two-lane segment on 1st Avenue, starting at Round Butte Road, in preparation for the construction of the Ronan - Urban project, when 1st Avenue will become the US 93 southbound lanes through Ronan.
  • Permanent closure of Spring Creek Road at US 93.
  • Construction of a new shared-use path connecting Round Butte Road with the existing shared-use path along US 93.
Project area map of Ronan North

Project area map.

During the 2023 construction season, MDT and Riverside Contracting, Inc. widened US 93 to four lanes, improved drainage throughout the project area, and began work on a new shared-use path connecting Round Butte Road with the existing shared-use path along US 93. In addition, a short, 600-foot two-lane segment on 1st Avenue starting at Round Butte Road was constructed in preparation for the Ronan-Urban project.

Work to be completed in early 2024 includes paving the shared-use path along US 93, installing the final epoxy road markings, and other finishing work. Streetlights and the new traffic signal at the US 93 intersection with Old US 93 and 3rd Avenue will also be installed. The installation of the traffic signal is delayed due to unforeseen supplier issues. MDT is working to ensure a traffic signal is installed as soon as possible.

Round Butte Road Path – Ronan

In conjunction with the Ronan-North project, the Round Butte Road Path - Ronan project will also be completed in early 2024. This project includes building two new sections of sidewalk on the north side of Round Butte Road:

Section 1: On the east side of Ronan Middle School, approximately 195 linear feet of five-foot-wide sidewalk will be built, connecting the existing sidewalk to the new shared-use path included in the Ronan-North project.

Section 2: Approximately 3,200 linear feet of six-foot-wide sidewalk will be constructed from 3rd Avenue NW to the existing shared-use path that ends west of the railroad tracks on Round Butte Road.

Ronan-Urban

The Ronan - Urban project begins at Brooke Lane in the rural area to the south of Ronan, where the highway will be widened to 3 or 4 lanes with a center turn lane. Within the Ronan town limit, US 93 will become a one-way couplet with northbound travel continuing on the existing US 93 and southbound travel moving to a reconstructed 1st Avenue SW. Traffic signals will be installed at Eisenhower Street, Buchanan Street, and Round Butte Road. Sidewalk connections will be maintained through town and connect to pathways to the south and north of the project.

Ronan – Urban is currently in the design phase, and a construction date has not yet been determined. Much more work needs to be done on this segment which requires extensive right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation along US 93 and on 1st Avenue SW in the town of Ronan.

UPN 9460000