VICTOR — Driving in and out of Victor on U.S. Highway 93, vehicles pass Bell Crossing, an intersection noted as dangerous by the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT).
Ravalli Electric Co-Operative Manager of Communication Melissa Greenwood said that with the business being at Bell Crossing, “We’ve seen firsthand what we call near misses, accidents and even a fatality."
Missoula District Administrator for MDT Bob Vosen explained that the intersection has intense crashes, “At Bell Crossing, we’re seeing a lot of severe crashes, t-bone type crashes.”
After studying the area, MDT decided a roundabout could improve safety.
“It's really hard to have a T-bone collision in a roundabout, really hard to have a head-on collision in a roundabout," Vosen noted.
However, some Bitterroot residents think a roundabout is a bad fit for Bell Crossing.
Jim Martin lives half a mile from the intersection and is concerned about drivers' actions in the roundabout.
“Somebody going around and you're parallel to him or behind him and this guy turns left and you want to go right. Disaster,” he stated.
Ron Thomas thinks people will seek to avoid the roundabout which would move the traffic flow away from U.S. Highway 93.
"I believe it will push traffic to the Eastside Highway so people avoid it and Eastside Highway is not designed for that type of traffic."
Phyllis Riedman lives close to Bell Crossing and is uneasy about traffic coming in her direction.
"[People] can get to Meridian Road from Victor and come through. [Meridian] is not meant for high traffic. Even Indian Prairie isn't. It's a dirt road."
Even though MDT’s plan looks to accomodate large vehicles, some businesses in the area think the roundabout would be tricky for their semi-trucks to navigate.
“I’ve been on this property and lived and worked here for 15 years and with the influx of new people coming in, it's almost impossible to get out at times," Todd Townsend, owner of Townsend Trucking detailed. "Especially with a long truck.”
Greenwood added, “Our utility trucks are large in general and most of the time they're carrying another trailer on the back with a 40 to 60 ft pole or large machinery on the back.”
“It's a liability issue. I think it's a bad idea. There's days where we run out of here 15 to 30 times,” expressed Triad Building Components owner John Miller.
Ravalli Electric Co-op, Triad Building Components, and Townsend Trucking all have worries for their drivers’ safety if a truck struggles in the proposed roundabout.
“If I send my guys out, that's a big deal for me and their safety is my number one concern," Miller said.
Locals believe a four-way stoplight would be a better solution.
“We've been advocating for a stoplight to be put in here before we relocated to this location back in 2019,” stated Greenwood.
Resident Jason Gerrard shared concerns about right-of-way problems.
“I don't think a roundabout is the way to go about it." He continued, "Stoplights are really easy to understand. People don't understand roundabouts.”
Vosen thinks a stoplight would not stop the bad collisions.
"I like to say a stoplight is not a safety device. A stoplight doesn't really control traffic. People can run a stoplight, they can run a stop sign. It's really hard to run a roundabout."
"We don't see the safety benefit comparable to a roundabout when we install a signal, particularly in a high-speed roadway," Vosen continued.
The stoplight versus roundabout debate is just one piece of this puzzle. People are also concerned about the construction’s impact to existing property and increased taxes.
Greenwood is worried that construction will cut into part of her business's property.
"With the roundabout plans coming through that we've seen and heard about so far, they're going to have to really cut into some of these other areas."
She is also apprehensive about the proposed cost of $8.5 million.
“Number-wise, the roundabout is going to cost a lot more money than a stoplight would. We are a member-owned local electric cooperative — a nonprofit cooperative. So, that money is going to go back on our members if it's a huge cost to us.”
But more so, the residents and businesses have a desire to be heard.
“The public wants to be heard. They want their opinion heard and their concerns heard and addressed,” Thomas told MTN.
State Senator, Theresa Manzella says the Transportation Committee has the Bell Crossing roundabout as an agenda item for an upcoming meeting.
“On May 8th, [people] will have an opportunity to make public comment at our interim committee. They can submit written comment, they can make comment in person or they can tune in by Zoom," Manzella shared.
Additionally, MDT notes they have a hotline set up and are willing to answer questions anytime.
“We want the public to know what we've done and why we're going in the direction we are. Call me, call, call our team, engage with us. We'd love to have a conversation," Vosen noted.
MDT notes on their website that:
"In 2024, the project team will select a design build team, and then work to finalize right-of-way agreements and the two-lane roundabout design. An open house will be held later this year to share additional details with the public and gather feedback. Construction is anticipated to begin in spring or summer of 2025, weather and other factors permitting."
