BLM to Launch Soap Gulch Road Upgrades Next Week
BUTTE, Mont. — The Bureau of Land Management will begin maintenance and reconstruction on the Soap Gulch and Soap Gulch Spur roads next week to improve safety, drainage and public access along a 9-mile stretch south of Butte.
The projects cover BLM Roads 0105 and 0115 located 35 miles south of Butte, just east of Melrose in Silver Bow County.
Crews will widen the road, clear vegetation, replace culverts, and build new drainage features to improve long-term safety, road performance, and continued public access.
While mobilization begins next week, no road closures will occur for at least two weeks. Construction closures will occur in two phases, with a full reopening between them:
- Phase 1 Closure: Mileposts 3.0 to 6.1 will close to all traffic for up to 14 consecutive calendar days.
- Phase 2 Closure: Mileposts 6.1 to 7.3 and Mileposts 0.0 to 1.4 on Road 0115 will close for up to seven consecutive calendar days.
Outside the scheduled closures, the road will remain open, but travelers should expect intermittent delays of up to six hours while crews work, followed by at least 20 minutes of open travel. Project work is expected to continue through Aug. 31.
Temporary traffic control, warning signs, and detour maps will be posted throughout the project site, and active work zones will be clearly marked even when closures are not in effect.
The BLM urges the public to use extreme caution, obey all posted signage, and follow flagger directions. For more information, contact Lindsey Babcock at the BLM Butte Field Office at 406-533-7600.
The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.