The commercial trucking issue in the Madison Valley has become a problem that needs immediate attention. Despite communications amongst multiple parties, it does not appear that anyone involved feels any closer to a satisfactory resolution. The Madison Valley Coalition has studied the trucking issue from many angles, has gathered facts and has solicited input from private and public bodies affected by this issue. The outcome of this review is a series of facts that will be presented here followed by a 5-Point Solution that we believe is logical, rational, immediately actionable and creates a realistic “level playing field” for commercial trucking and all affected interests in southwestern Montana. While the details of the plan will be discussed in the full report, the key points are as follows:
1. Open United States Highway 191 to Commercial, Through Trucking
It’s clear the ideal situation for businesses and residents of both the Madison and Gallatin Valleys would be to have all commercial trucking simultaneously required to use I-15. We are familiar with the legal and political process and view this as an unlikely outcome in the near future. Given the current situation, we request immediate, unfettered, non-disadvantaged, access of through, commercial truck traffic to US-191 through the Gallatin Valley which will re-establish the natural distribution of commercial truck traffic across all available routes through southwestern Montana. We respectfully request that this be done absolutely as soon as possible. The Coalition requests that this occur prior to the busy summer season in the Madison Valley.
2. Place and Regularly Operate a Permanent Weigh Station in the Southern Madison Corridor.
We recognize that the state legislature has had concerns in the past with this issue. However, this is a critical requirement for the equitable distribution of commercial trucking to occur. The need for this is underscored by the fact that a majority of HAZMAT traffic along the Madison Corridor currently has little to no regulation. Today, it is known by all that many of the trucks traveling through the Madison Corridor travel at night and are running long, fast and heavy. Temporary weigh station regimens such as those very recently implemented by the MDT are a fine temporary measure but, unfortunately, are known to not be effective. Despite past attempts to get this done, the need to do so now is, critical.
3. Create Commercial Truck Restrictions on Critical Wildlife Corridors.
Utilize recommendations by the Craighead Institute and other wildlife agencies to create day and night speed restrictions through “High-Quality Wildlife Connectivity Areas” such as Raynolds Pass and the Madison Valley near Papoose Creek and through more highly populated areas. This would have similar benefits as the speed restriction recently implemented on US-191.
4. Create and Begin to Execute a Plan to move all HAZMAT Traffic to Interstate 15
This may, of course, involve both state and federal agencies. Given the extreme economic and environmental risks, this seems to be logical and sensible in that it moves the most dangerous commercial truck traffic to the safest roadway best suited to handle it. This will further distribute overall traffic and mitigate risk. A HAZMAT spill in either the Snake River (Henry’s Fork), Madison River or the Gallatin River (near MT Rt.84) and their tributaries would be an ecological and economic disaster of immense proportions and national significance. US-191 through the Gallatin is already protected due to the Congressional Act discussed earlier.
In most of the previous analysis of this situation to-date, much of the modeling has considered that trucks stay on HW-287 traveling north/south, ending-up or beginning their trip at Three Forks. Regrettably, despite what is typically communicated, this simply is not the case. As mentioned earlier, many, if not most of the trucks appear to turn onto Route 84 to further “cut the corner” on their way in and out of Bozeman. While unfortunate, the logic is simple to understand. MDT’s data shows the percent of trucks vs. all vehicles was up from ~3.4% in 2005 to~15% in 2008. Furthermore, this growth in truck traffic is likely very conservative in that the 2008 data represents only one half of US-191 closure year. Those familiar with Route 84 are fully aware of its proximity to the Madison River and its tributaries, the tremendous number of fishermen and rafters, the extreme turns and narrowness - in many areas, having no shoulders and the fact that it is a “Redline” route, restricting certain truck traffic through this area. This route is the site of many car and truck accidents and fatalities. Again, as recently as 1/2/10, yet another commercial truck accident occurred, laying over on its side and destroying hundreds of feet of guard rail. This incident that occurred in dry-road conditions prompted an open letter in The Madisonian Newspaper on 1/7/10 from John Summerhill of McAllister to Dir. Lynch of the MDT complaining that the MDT has not taken action to deal with the trucking issue in the Madison Corridor.
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