Gardiner Sidewalk Extension Project (CTEP)
Riverside Contracting will begin work on the Montana Department of Transportation, Gardiner ? North project beginning Wednesday, April 15th. Work will be concentrated on new sidewalk construction along the north side of Scott Street between Travertine Street and Hellroaring Street. Work will progress this week towards the Rodeo Grounds. Electrical crews will begin relocating street lighting the week of April 20th in the same work area described. Expect minimal traffic delays and closed on-street parking along the north side of Scott Street between the Rodeo Grounds and Travertine Street. Construction notices for this project will be updated as work progress

In 1970 and 1971, Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) made improvements to US Highway 89 (US 89) in Gardiner. The project included widening the existing road, adding storm water collection and drainage, roadway lighting, curb gutter and sidewalk for the majority of the project area, and curb and gutter without sidewalk for approximately 1,300 feet. The lack of sidewalk in that area is the basis for the Community Transportation Enhancement Program (CTEP) project funding request.

The number of residents in Gardiner has nearly tripled since 1970. The number of visitors to Yellowstone National Park has increased from approximately 2.2 million in 1970 to over 3.6 million in 2010, and the community of Gardiner has felt both the positive economic impacts as well as the added strain from increased visits. As visitation to Gardiner and the surrounding area has steadily climbed, the community has expanded to try to meet the added needs. Universally accessible sidewalks are necessary to provide safe pedestrian connectivity through the community; the current scenario has several large hotels and enterprises, as well as new residences, developed on this stretch of the highway with no clear and safe path of travel to separate pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The adaptation of a piece of property at the western most end of the proposed sidewalk as a community Rodeo/Fair Grounds has further accentuated the need for enhanced and improved pedestrian safety.

At a May 2013, public meeting held by Park County, the Greater Gardiner Community Council (GGCC) requested CTEP funds for a sidewalk extension/improvement project. This CTEP funded project will enhance pedestrian access and safety to the west end of town. The new sidewalk area (approximately 1,000') will run parallel to US Highway 89 (US 89) on the north side at the outskirts of Gardiner, between the Rodeo/Fairgrounds and Scott Street. A small portion on the south side of US 89 will also have a 700' section of sidewalk installed adjacent to existing curb and gutter. This project will be incorporated with an existing MDT road improvement project, currently scheduled for activities in the proposed project area for the summer of 2015. Incorporating this CTEP sidewalk extension project into the MDT existing project scope provides a very significant cost savings including equipment mobilization, project engineering and materials procurement costs - at about 30-50% of the price if the CTEP project was conducted as a standalone bid project. The required 13.42% matching funds for this project was provided by the GGCC.

Link to MDT's CTEP information: