Montana road crews gear up for winter storm

KALISPELL, Mont. — Montana Department of Transportation road crews are preparing to clear snow as the Flathead Valley braces for another winter storm.

MDT’s Kalispell division is in charge of plowing 1,700 lane miles of road. Before a storm arrives, department staff look at weather reports, then get materials and equipment ready.

“We have to know what we’re dealing with, when it’s coming, what the storm type is, what the precipitation type is, what the intensity is, what the amount is,” division maintenance chief Justun Juelfs said. “Those are all really crucial pieces of information for us, because they help us make decisions.”

The division’s core hours of coverage are between 4 a.m. and midnight, but Juelfs said hours can change based on the severity of the storm.

The Kalispell division has a fleet of 60 plows, and crews prioritize which roads need to be cleared first. Juelfs said they usually start with the most heavily traveled roads, like Highway 93, Highway 2 and Highway 82.

“It’s very important that our folks prioritize where they go first, second and third,” Juelfs said. “All of the roads are important, but we can’t be everywhere at once.”

Juelfs said drivers should check road conditions before they travel, and drive carefully.

Exercise good patience and good judgment, and give yourself a little bit more time -- and I mean a little bit,” he said. “If you give yourself five extra minutes in the morning, that could mean you getting to work and you not getting to work.”