MDT begins Blue Slide Road stabilization

Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) officials are hoping to have one lane of Blue Slide Road open to traffic by the end of May.

Bob Vosen, MDT Missoula District construction engineer, said that work began this week to stabilizie the road. The goal is to get the road stable enough to open one lane of traffic. He said MDT will have stoplights at each side of the construction area, and concrete barriers for safety.

From there, MDT will work on a permanent stabilization project and rebuilding the road at the location of the washout, about nine miles from Thompson Falls.

Blue Slide Road was closed April after Cougar Creek flooded the road. The flood took with it dirt and gravel from under the road.

Vosen explained that the current pipe under Blue Slide Road is functioning. However, runoff over the years caused the creek to shift its natural channel away from the culvert, forcing water over the roadway. He said that one possible fix is to install a second culvert where the creek now flows. Before a permanent fix can begin, MDT will have to examine what has changed uphill from Blue Slide Road.

Vosen said that MDT has a current slide stabilization contract with projects at 10 sites. Because of that, MDT should be able to add the Blue Slide Road project on to the current project.

Sanders County Commissioners and MDT held an open house on Wedensday at the Thompson Falls Community Center to inform residents about the project and answer questions.