Since 2010, seven(7) years now, the State Highway Department and DOT have been planning and devising their skills to condemn land and build a cloverleaf or roundabout where the interchange exists between I-94 and Highway 59, the Broadus Exit. What an absolute me$$ and government boondoggle.
1. Truckers do not appreciate pulling 53 foot trailers or sets of doubles through a roundabout.
2. The high impact truck numbers of the Bakken oil play are gone.
3. Spending $7,000,000 or $8,000,000 for this.........me$$.........is ludicrous.
Just curious to learn Miles City opinions.
Thanx, Rob Shipley

I don't know about the roundabout but the I-94 bridges over MT 59 are undersized and should be replaced. Doing that presents challenges given the proximity of private buildings in the area.

Roundabout.
And the government does not have and cannot obtain the funding, after seven (7) years.
The whole mess is an engineer's nightmare precisely like the improvement on the Baker Highway departing I-94.
As soon as the highway department redid all of that roadway they immediately had to widen it because hay trains could not pass owing it being too narrow. Several Miles City business people objected at the time, but, the state plundered ahead and did it all wrong anyway.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...........everything government ever does is nuts.
Anyone ever want to buy some of the Air Force's $600 hammers?

First cost is the wrong way to compare projects. It would be like buying a car without knowing the fuel economy or safety of the thing, just its price to buy.

Present Value Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) is the best way to compare two or more choices. When comparing modern roundabouts to signals for a 20-year life cycle (the standard period), modern roundabouts usually cost less. Costs to compare include: first cost (design/land/construction), operation and maintenance (electricity, re-striping, upgrades, etc.), crash reduction (what’s your/your family’s safety worth?), daily delay (what’s your time worth?), daily fuel consumption (spend much on gas?), point source pollution (generated by stopped vehicles = health cost), area insurance rates (this costs more where it is less safe to drive). Each of these things, and others, can be estimated for any two choices and everyone near or using the project area will pay some portion of all of these costs (and also gain benefits).

Since a recent study found the majority of truck drivers don’t understand how to drive a modern roundabout, it stands to reason most drivers don’t understand how a truck is supposed to drive a modern roundabout.
Modern roundabouts are designed for trucks, large vehicles, and trailer towing vehicles by including the center flat area around the circle. It’s not a sidewalk, it’s called a truck apron, and it’s for trucks to begin a sharp right or end a left or U-turn on. But they should obey the warning speed and know their vehicle.

Roundabout Trucks Videos:
STAA, Porterville, CA:
FHWA:
Washington County, WI:

U-turn: http://tinyurl.com/rabtruckuturn

Windsor-Essex Parkway, Canada:
WSDOT simulation:
ODOT tests: Deschutes County Fairgrounds
Portland Meadows Parking lot

Broadus Interchange Snafu
*************************
We all understand the acronym from WWII G.I.'s, correct?
Situation Normal All f d Up.

The ignoramus powers to be, federal DOT and Montana DOT, have been in this fiasco seven (7) years....seven ( 7 ) years of wasting $$$$$$$$$$ with studies and whathaveyou.....seven (7) years.

Bakken oil play is actually dead for quite some time.

Truck traffic here is down from its peak periods.

Dumb, dumb, dumb , dumb government waste as usual.

"Ship"

Ship, you sir have a very closed mind. If it's not your way it's the wrong way. If you don't understand it, it must be the wrong way. Not sure we as a City need you anywhere near the mayors office, because it sounds like you would be getting the city sued for all kinds of shortcuts.

I would hate to be perceived as overly pedantic, but Mr. Shipley is running for City Judge, not Mayor.

Whether or not that's more or less concerning is up to Cubby.

I think this quote from the Princess Bride sums up the challenge of arguing with Rob Shipley quite succinctly.

Vizzini: You fell victim to one of the classic blunders—the most famous of which is, “Never get involved in a land war in Asia”—but only slightly less well-known is this: “Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line”! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha…

Arguments with the soon to be elected city judge on mc.com is certainly the internet equivalent of an Asian land war if you know what I mean.

Cubby, Sad that you are so very unaware of the situation at the Broadus Interchange. Being a half owner of the 4Bs since my wonderful mom passed away in 1997, I know way, way, way, way, way more about that situation than you ever will.
Have you ever gone to the State Highway Department and asked them particulars about it? No. We have, Dennis Mullen and myself and Jim Lucas and several times.
Did you know that *if* they built the roundabout the plans dictated they would have to buy the 4Bs for $850,000 and tear down the building as their plans would invade the building fourteen (14) feet from the south. Also, what really, really ,really screws up all of their plans.......they would have to buy 2/3 of the Cenex parking lot across the street from the 4Bs and Cenex has deep, deep, deep pockets so they would never sell willingly.....precisely why Cenex just built the new super truck stop past New Hunan.
I ask that we be pals, OK?

"Ship"

Bridgier,
Thank you for correcting Cubby with his/her error.
All good people of Miles City can rest easy as I have no intention of WASTING four hundred twenty thousand dollars ($420,000) the way Mayor Grenz did in his first term (2004 through April, 2006) with lawsuits and settlements when he accosted the four (4) women who were employed by the City as he did.
Since I have forgotten more law than all of the past city judges since 1975 collectively have ever known, it would be really insane of me to cause any waste of city money and resources, right?
I will be elected by the good thinking people of Miles City because they understand truth and they do not want some clown who has not seen the ball since the kickoff running the court as poorly as it has been run since 1975.
Cubby, your attacking me sans any forethought is useless. I will be elected and I will S E R V E all the people of Miles City, North side and South side, equally and fairly and justly and impartially and that will be appreciated by all.

Thank you,

"Ship"

Big Dave, Even though I do not know who you are, and wish that I did, your intelligence is fine to me, and, I would like very much to be pals, OK ?
I write in detailed explanation because I do well know of what I write, and, because I was taught in the Navy to speak accurately and get all the necessary information out as rapidly and correctly as possible. As an air traffic controller, when you are talking to a dozen aircraft in the sky, communicating with departure control, approach control, plus supervising what your ground controller is doing......after so long such training becomes a good habit.
I was trained by the very best of the best, FAA, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps and appreciate same.
I also have learned over the years that EVERYTHING in a court of law MUST BE ENTERED INTO THE RECORD; when it is not, it is lost forever.
I mean never to be troublesome to anyone, I just speak and write what is on my mind.

"Ship"