AUGUSTA — Augusta’s small-town charm and mountain backdrop make it a popular stop for visitors from across Montana, especially in the spring and summer months.
Suzi Taylor, the President of the Augusta Area Chamber of Commerce says, “We have a lot of people from the Great Falls area who just come here for a day trip. They’ll cruise up to the mountains, sightsee, they’ll shop, they’ll come and eat and then go home. And it’s a great day or a great weekend.”
Aneesa Coomer talks with Augusta residents - watch the video:
But next spring and summer, a major road project will temporarily change the route for many heading into town.
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) plans to replace three key structures along Highway 21: the Elk Creek Bridge, Elk Creek Overflow culverts, and Hogan Slough structures. The $6.5 million project is scheduled from March 2 through June 24, causing closures along Highway 21 for nearly four months.
Drivers will need to find alternate routes, mainly through the Simms turnoff or through Fairfield. The detour adds roughly nine minutes of drive time for anyone traveling between the two towns.
However, because of environmental protections for fish spawning in Elk Creek, work cannot begin on that bridge until May 15th. That restriction leaves only about five weeks to complete the most complex portion of the project before the state’s deadline. The short window has raised questions about whether construction will be able to finish in time, particularly if weather delays or equipment shortages occur.
The project is part of MDT’s broader effort to update aging infrastructure in rural Montana, improving bridges and culverts along critical state highways. For Augusta, timing is especially important. The Augusta American Legion Rodeo, held at the end of June, is the community’s largest and most important annual event, drawing thousands of visitors each year. MDT’s current schedule has the project wrapping up just days before rodeo weekend.
Taylor says the Chamber is aware there will be some impact on local businesses, but says, “We just want to kind of get ahead of it and figure out how to address it. We accept the fact that we really, really need this work done and we have to make a little sacrifice to get it completed. We’re really concerned about getting the message out that that doesn’t impact Augusta in any way.”
The Chamber is already preparing to keep the public informed. They’ll post detour details online and provide regular updates on the project through social media and newsletters.
Even with the detour, business owners like Frank Dellwo of the Buckhorn Bar say they expect their usual influx of visitors to continue coming through town.
Dellwo says, “The mountains that we have here, the wildlife that we have here, we’ve got a good community. You get a lot of out-of-state hunters and different people come through here all the time. As far as shutting the road down, you know, they’ll get to Augusta one way or another. It’ll be fine.”
Despite the short construction window, residents say Augusta will remain open and welcoming throughout the project.
