Thanks to many valuable local partnerships, Gallatin County is in the process of awarding the MT Highway 64 TIGER Grant project to the low bidder. Pending approval from the Federal Highway Administration, the project is likely to begin in 2022.

In 2017, the community of Big Sky was awarded a TIGER grant from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in the amount of $10.2 million dollars for major infrastructure improvements along the Lone Mountain Trail/MT Highway 64 corridor. Once the agreement was signed in June 2019 between Gallatin County and FHWA, Sanderson Stewart was awarded the contract to oversee design and construction for the improvements in September 2019. In partnership with Stahly Engineering, the team has worked diligently with Gallatin County, the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and FHWA to work through the design, acquisition of land (right-of-way) for the expanded roadway, and the required permitting for the project.

After multiple rounds of bidding and amendments to the TIGER agreement with FHWA, Gallatin County has made a recommendation to award the project to the current low bidder. This was made possible by contributions from MDT, Gallatin County, Madison County, and Big Sky Resort Area District (Resort Tax) to close the funding gap and allow the project to move forward.  FHWA is currently reviewing the award recommendation and it is anticipated that we will receive their approval in time to start construction in 2022.

The amount of work to be completed in 2022 will be somewhat dependent on the timing of the notice to proceed, but public notice will be issued once the start date and sequence of projects have been determined.  MDT will be donating the time of one of the public involvement firms to the project in order to provide regular updates to the Big Sky community.  In the meantime, construction on the Powder Light turn lanes will continue this spring, as will the utility relocations that are needed ahead of the TIGER grant project.