A packed room gathered at Riverside Park in Laurel to celebrate the ribbon cutting, or pulling rather, on the new US Highway 212/310 route between Laurel and Rockvale. As Mike Tooley, director of the Montana Department of Transportation, addressed the room he said this new road will increase the safety and mobility of the region for decades to come.
As one of the deadliest highways in Montana, Highway 212 has been high on the DOT’s list for quite some time with their “Vision Zero” goal for zero deaths or serious injuries on Montana roads. The main goals for the reconstruction of the highway were to reduce the number of crashes, lower congestion, and increase safety for drivers. Truck crashes on 212 alone have been two times the state average. Tooley said that the grand total spent on this improvement was $41 million, with $24 million spent on the last section that was redone. Tooley reminded everyone that this multiple year project was not easy, simple, or risk-free and thanked all of those involved with the construction of the new and improved Highway 212. Two DOT dump trucks sat with a banner between them and after Tooley led the crowd in a countdown the trucks drove apart, pulling the banner down and officially opening the freshly chip sealed road for a caravan of vehicles to claim the honor of being the first ones to drive the route. CLICK HERE TO READ HERE
