KALISPELL, Mont. — As winter weather settles across northwest Montana, the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) has issued a seasonal update on four ongoing infrastructure projects in the greater Kalispell region. The update outlines which projects will pause until warmer weather returns and which will continue through the winter months.
Work along Reserve Drive from Hutton Ranch Road to Whitefish Stage Road has entered its winter shutdown period. According to MDT, crews will return in spring 2026 to complete road improvements aimed at reducing congestion and improving traffic flow in one of Kalispell’s busiest commercial corridors. The project includes shoulder improvements, signal upgrades, and intersection enhancements to support growing retail traffic in the area.
Construction along Highway 93 west of Whitefish is also on break for the winter season. Work will resume in spring 2026, with a final completion date set for summer 2027. The long-term project is intended to widen key sections of the highway, enhance safety features, and improve access for commercial and residential traffic. Once complete, MDT expects the upgrades to support continued regional growth and ease travel between Whitefish, Kalispell, and surrounding communities.
MDT reports that the work on Highway 93 at Treeline Road and Wyoming Street is substantially complete. Only final striping remains unfinished due to weather sensitivity. Crews will return in spring 2026 to finish pavement markings when temperatures are warm enough for paint application to properly bond with the roadway surface. This upgrade has already improved access to the North Kalispell shopping district and is expected to help reduce traffic backups during peak hours.
Unlike other projects, construction at Sportsman’s Bridge in Bigfork will continue through the winter months. The ongoing replacement of the aging bridge is considered a critical priority due to structural concerns and its importance as a travel route around Flathead Lake. MDT noted that work will temporarily pause for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and again during Christmas and New Year’s, with exact dates yet to be announced. Construction crews will resume operations around those breaks as weather and safety conditions allow.
Road construction in Montana typically slows from late fall through early spring due to freezing temperatures, shortened daylight hours, and unpredictable weather. Asphalt work, concrete curing, and striping are especially temperature-sensitive, pushing completion tasks into the warmer months. MDT schedules many of its contracts around these seasonal limitations to prevent defects and to keep crews safe.
With multiple projects nearing completion or entering their final stages, 2026 is expected to be a significant year for transportation improvements across the Flathead Valley. Further updates from MDT will be released as spring construction ramps up.
Originally reported by Kenzie Valenteen in NBC Montana.
