Flathead County Transportation Plan – Phase II

Flathead County Transportation Plan – Phase II
Table 2.14 below shows various ADT counts conducted along the study corridor by MDT and Flathead
County. These ADT counts show that current traffic volumes are under theoretical capacity levels for a
paved two‐lane facility.
Table 2.14: East Reserve Drive ADT
Source Location Date ADT
County East of US Highway 2 Apr‐99 3,523
County West of Helena Flats Road Sep‐05 3,439
MDT East of US Highway 2 2005 4,680
MDT West of Helena Flats Road 2005 2,950
There have been seventeen crashes reported along the study corridor between January 1 st , 2004 and
December 31 st , 2006. Of these crashes, fourteen involved multiple vehicles. Twelve crashes occurred
while pavement conditions were dry. A total of six crashes resulted in injuries, none resulted in
fatalities. The most common type of collision was right angle collisions typically occurring at or near
access points along the corridor.
There were six reported crashes between Ash Road and US Highway 2, three of which occurred at the
Town Pump gas station entrance. It is likely that this concentration of crashes is due to the multiple
driveways associated with the commercial development along this stretch and the close proximity to the
high volume intersection with US Highway 2. The ten crashes that occurred at the signalized
intersection with US Highway 2 involved vehicles either traveling along East Reserve Drive, or turning
from US Highway 2 onto East Reserve Drive. In general, it is likely that the majority of crashes along East
Reserve Drive are a combination of the high number of access points and the high speeds present along
the corridor.
East Reserve Drive is increasingly seeing use as an informal “bypass” for vehicles traveling between US
Highway 2 and MT Highway 35. Because of the usage of this route as a “bypass”, speeds tend to be
faster than expected for this type of facility. As development occurs in the area, and as traffic volumes
increase along US Highway 2, it is likely that this corridor will see an increase in “bypass” usage.
Identified Issues
Limited or no shoulder
High density of access points
Concentration of crashes between US Highway 2 and Ash Road
High speeds near residential neighborhoods and schools
Increasing use as a “bypass” to connect US Highway 2 and MT Highway 35
Limited bicycle/pedestrian facilities
High number of crashes at the intersection with US Highway 2
2‐34 | P age Existing Transportation System