Montana Code Annotated
Part 2. Department of Transportation General Powers and Duties
60-2-245. Construction projects -- project impacts -- notice

60-2-245. Construction projects -- project impacts -- notice. (1) (a) After the commission has selected and prioritized a construction project under 60-2-110, the department or the commission shall determine whether the project will have a substantial impact on the public. If the department or the commission determines that the project will have a substantial impact, the department shall ensure that the public, in the area where the project is located and in areas adjacent to the project area, as provided in subsection (3)(a)(i), is notified of the project and is provided with periodic updates on the status of the project as provided in this section.
(b) A project with a substantial impact includes but is not limited to:
(i) a project for which additional right-of-way is necessary for project completion; and
(ii) the initial installation of rumble strips within 200 yards of a residential building, as measured from any point on a prospective rumble strip to any part of a residential building.
(2) (a) The department shall engage the public through informational meetings or other appropriate means at major milestones in phases of the project, from the selection of the project by the commission to project completion. To engage and inform the public, the department shall:
(i) place and maintain current information regarding the status of the project in a prominent location on the department's website;
(ii) use newspaper, television, and radio formats as appropriate to provide information to the public regarding the status of the project;
(iii) investigate the use of other types of media, such as electronic social media, to provide information to the public regarding the status of the project; and
(iv) maintain an electronic notification list as provided in subsection (3).
(b) For the purposes of this section, phases of a project include but are not limited to survey, design, and right-of-way phases of a project.
(3) (a) For each proposed project identified under subsection (1), the department shall maintain a list of:
(i) all local government and tribal government entities within which the project will be located that are likely to be impacted by the project or that are adjacent to the project area; and
(ii) organizations and associations that represent motorists and commercial motor vehicle companies and operators that regularly conduct business in the project area and any other organizations or entities that represent travelers or those who regularly use highways in the project area for recreational or business purposes.
(b) The department shall notify the entities identified in subsection (3)(a) when the commission selects a construction project as provided in subsection (1) and shall provide project updates of major milestones in phases of the project through electronic communication to any entity that submits a request to receive updates.
History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 100, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 448, L. 2019.