Maybe it will be called the Lockwood-Heights Commerce Park Way. The Montana Department of Transportation will name the proposed section of highway that will connect Johnson Lane in Lockwood to the Heights near the junction of Highways 312 and 87, west of Main Street. But earlier this year a MDT spokesman said the agency tends not to like naming routes “bypass,” and they encouraged input from the community.
On Monday, a small delegation from the Lockwood Planning Steering Committee submitted to the county commissioners a list of names that have been put forth for the route. The list highlighted two of the names as the top choices of the committee, “Lockwood Commerce Park Way” and “Lockwood-Heights Connector.”
After some discussion amongst all those present at the commissioners’ discussion meeting, the name “Lockwood –Heights Commerce Park Way,” emerged as the preferred name. County Commissioners said they would send a letter to the Department of Transportation recommending that name.
The other names that were suggested by the community were:
Unicorn Road
Jackalope Highway
Don Reed Highway
Mel Harris Highway
Dan Mortensen
Expressway
Expressway or Bypass
or Connector or
Parkway or Way???
Rim Connector
Coulson Connection
Lockwood Bypass
Lockwood Interchange
Eastgate Emerald Hills
Highway
Great Drive of ’89
Highway
1889 Centennial
Expressway
Yellowstone Way
Calamity Jane Bypass
Big Foot Bypass
Sasquatch Bypass
Freedom Way
Hirsch Connector
Construction of the first phase of the project will begin this fall with the rebuilding of Five Mile Road, from Dover Rd. to HWY 312.
Construction of the Johnston Lane, first ever in Montana, diverging diamond intersection is expected to begin in 2022. Construction of the bridge across the Yellowstone River could begin in 2023.
