Road work on U.S. 2 from Hungry Horse to Stanton Creek will start Monday, May 10, and continue until November for a project that’s expected to heavily impact the summer tourist season.

The project will affect travel along the 26-mile stretch of highway directly east and west of Glacier National Park’s west entrance, according to the Montana Department of Transportation.

“I recognize the timing isn’t ideal,” Department of Transportation District Administrator Bob Vosen acknowledged during a virtual open house on Friday. But in order to prevent the U.S. 2 corridor from worsening any further, Vosen said this summer is essentially a make-or-break point to do repairs on the highway.

It’s possible the project will need to be extended into spring and summer 2022 as well.

The project will involve milling, paving, micro-surfacing, and completing a cold in-place recycling process to make the roadway smoother and longer-lasting. Some guardrail and sidewalk improvements are also part of the scope of the project.

The project is broken up into several sections.

From Hungry Horse to West Glacier, motorists will experience less of a disruption than in places farther east along the road. Drivers can expect delays up to 15 minutes in the western portion.

From West Glacier to Stanton Creek, traffic will be limited to one lane due to the narrow geography there. Delays are anticipated to be up to 45 minutes in this area.

A separate project to install a centerline rumble strip from Stanton Creek to Marias Pass also will take place concurrently with the construction to the west.

Project Manager Ryan Paulsen said, “that will be a short-lived project, so we shouldn’t have to worry about it too long.”

For more information, visit the project website at: https://www.mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/us2hungryhorse/