BLM to repair Cow Island Road culvert; temporary closure scheduled
SOUTH BLAINE COUNTY, Mont. – Access will be limited on a portion of Cow Island Road just west of Cow Creek in south Blaine County, Montana, beginning Sept. 29 as contractors work to replace a damaged 3-foot-diameter culvert running under the road.
Contractors anticipate the road, also known as Cow Island Trail, will be temporarily closed for up to 30 days, depending on weather and if any complications occur with the culvert replacement work. The culvert repair site is located just west of where Cow Island Road crosses Cow Creek.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this temporary detour may cause,” said Becky Cooper, Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument manager. “These repairs will help the Bureau of Land Management continue to provide access to the public lands and the unique resources they steward.”
Cow Island Road connects with Montana Secondary Highway 236 (S-236), also known as PN Bridge Road, southeast of Big Sandy. Alternate routes to reach the Bullwhacker region include, 1) from the Cow Island Road intersection with Lloyd Road, take Lloyd Road north to Peoples Creek Road, to Birdtail Road to reconnect with Cow Island Road; or 2) from Montana State Highway 66 near Hays, take Timber Ridge Road, to Cow Island Road. Routes within this area of the national monument are not recommended for passenger vehicles without four-wheel-drive capability or lacking higher-than-average undercarriage clearances.
The Cow Island culvert repair project is funded by the Great American Outdoors Act. A $48,200 contract to perform the work was awarded to Green Wing Excavation LLC, a small business based in Townsend, Montana.
The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA, Public Law 116-152) was signed into law on August 4, 2020, providing major investments to address deferred maintenance needs, increase recreational access to our public lands, and conserve our lands and waters. Learn more about GAOA projects happening on BLM-administered public lands.
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.