Montana Department of Transportation, Traffic, Safety, and Training Bureau records

Montana Department of Transportation, Traffic, Safety, and Training Bureau records, 1957-2002

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Montana. Department of Transportation.
Title: Montana Department of Transportation, Traffic, Safety, and Training Bureau records
Dates: 1957-2002 (inclusive)
19572002
Quantity: 4.8 linear feet
Collection Number: RS 492 (Formerly RS 420)
Summary: This collection is a sub-subgroup (Bureau) of the Montana Department of Transportation records, RS 492. The Traffic, Safety, and Training Bureau (now named Traffic & Safety Bureau) currently (as of 2024) operates under the Engineering Division. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of Transportation records. This collection represents the combined records of the Department of Highways Safety and Training Bureau, the Department of Transportation State Highway Traffic Safety Bureau, and the Department of Transportation Safety Management Section. This collection consists primarily of subject files dealing with highway safety topics, including highway employee training and safety, and the safety of citizens travelling on Montana highways.
Repository: Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions: Collection is open for research.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Montana State Highway Commission was created in 1913 by the state Legislative Assembly. The original Commission was composed of three members. In 1917 new legislation altered the organization of the Commission by authorizing the appointment of twelve members according to geographic highway districts. Membership was changed again in 1921 to three members appointed by the Governor and in 1941 to five members, also appointed by the Governor. In 1971 the Commission was renamed the Montana Department of Highways, created by Chapter 7 of the Executive Reorganization Act of 1971 and implemented by executive order of the Governor on December 16, 1971. The Department of Highways took over all but the advisory functions of the State Highway Commission.

By 1972, the Department consisted of seven divisions: the Legal Division, Personnel Division, Centralized Services Division, Engineering Division, Motor Pool Division, Gross Vehicle Weight Division, and the Maintenance Division. Each division was headed by an administrator. The Centralized Services Division, Engineering Division, Motor Pool Division, Gross Vehicle Weight Division, and the Maintenance Division were furthered sub-divided into bureaus, headed by Chiefs. In 1991, the Department of Highways became the Department of Transportation.

Initially, what was then referred to as the Safety Unit was its own separate unit within the Montana Department of Transportation hierarchy. Historically, between 1974 and the present, it existed under the Engineering Division, the Personnel and Civil Rights Division, the Personnel Division, and the Transportation Planning Division, among others. At present the Traffic and Safety Bureau, under the umbrella of the Engineering Division, administers highway safety programs in Montana. The work that falls within this bureau’s purview includes MDT employee safety training, responding to citizens’ concerns about roadway hazards, seatbelt and speed law campaigns, and safety impact studies.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection consists primarily of subject files detailing the actions taken, and programs administered, by the Department of Highways Safety and Training Bureau, the Department of Transportation State Highway Traffic Safety Bureau, and the Department of Transportation Safety Management Section. It should be noted that the Safety Management Section (SMS) does not appear to have ever been its own separate bureau, but seems to have existed under the umbrella of the Department of Transportation State Highway Traffic Safety Bureau, as early records for the SMS are found at the end of the records for the Department of Transportation State Highway Traffic Safety Bureau.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by series.

Location of Collection

41:3-5

Processing Note

In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Department of Transportation were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 492, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the MTHS catalog, and to follow best archival practices.

Collections from Montana Department of Transportation's various Divisions and Bureaus that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 492. Rather than reprocessing over 280 linear feet of Transportation materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those collections/finding aids, and provide access to them via links through the central finding aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding aids at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if this subgroup/sub-subgroup pertains to your research needs.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I: Department of Highways, Safety and Training BureauReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Correspondence
Box/Folder
1/1	Highway Safety Act	1973
1/2	Employee Training	1987-1989
1/3	FHWA Evaluation	1977-1981
1/4	“J. Murphy”	1982-1986
1/5	“Inter-office”	1982
1/6	Inter-office memos	1983
1/7	Miscellany	1959-1969
1/8	Miscellany	1970-1979
1/9	Miscellany	1980-1989
1/10	Miscellany	1981
1/11	Miscellany	1982
1/12	Miscellany safety topics	1979-1990
	Subject Files
Box/Folder
1/13	Accident reports – Employee and Civilian	1957-1982
1/14	Budgets and Reports	1985-1989
1/15	Highway Safety Program, Safety Projects – Experimental Powder Coating	1992
1/16	Highway Safety Program, Safety Implementation Program – Accident Data	1984
1/17	Highway Safety Program, Safety Implementation Program – Accident Data	1985
1/18	Highway Safety Program, Safety Implementation Program – Accident Data	1986
1/19	Highway Safety Program, Safety Implementation Program – Fatality Rates	1983-1988
1/20	Monthly Reports of Bureau	1983-1984
1/21	Monthly Status Reports	1985
1/22	Monthly Status Reports	1986
1/23	Monthly Status Reports	1987
1/24	Snow Workshop, Lewistown	1987
1/25	Tri-Regional Safety Meeting	1989
1/26	Tri-Regional Safety Meeting	1991
2/1	“Accident Report on Montana’s Rural Primary Highway System”	1962-1964
2/2	“Accident Report on Montana’s Rural Primary Highway System”	1967-1968
2/3	Interstate System Traffic Estimates	1965
2/4	Interstate System Traffic Estimates	1968
2/5	Interstate System Traffic Estimates	1970
2/6	Montana Interstate Strip Maps	1968
2/7	Employee Assistance Program References	1991
2/8	Employee Assistance Program Contract	1990-1992
2/9	Employee Assistance Program Usage Census	1990-1992
2/10	Federal Aid Highway Trust Fund Appropriation Codes	1979
2/11	Federal Safety Award Program	1989-1990
2/12	Guide to Reporting Highway Statistics	1980

Series II: Department of Transportation, State Highway Traffic Safety BureauReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Printed Material
Box/Folder
2/13	Training and Conference Brochure	1985-1991
	Subject Files
Box/Folder
2/14	Sign Specification	1974-1976
2/15	Off-system Road Program	1975
2/16	Signs – selective enforcement	1977
2/17	Spot Safety Improvements	undated
2/18	Urban Transportation Planning – General	1977-1979
2/19	Urban Transportation Planning – Billings and Kalispell	1972, 1976-1979
2/20	F 6-1 (4) 75 – Plains-Paradise	1975
2/21	Signing – County	1972-1975
2/22	Traffic Engineers Classification Appeal	1975
3/1	Highway Design Standards, Guides, and Specifications	1975-1978
3/2	National Needs Studies and Inventory	1973-1975
3/3	Safetran Systems – Government Relations	1992-1998
3/4	School Crossings Safety	1973-1978
3/5	Surveys and Reports on Safety Topics	1971, 1976
3/6	Policies and Guidelines – Railroad Crossings	1972-1994
3/7	Maps – Railroads	undated
3/8	Safety Management System (SMS)	1993-1996

Series III: Department of Transportation, Safety Management SectionReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Correspondence
Box/Folder
3/9	SMS – Steering Committee	1998-2001
3/10	SMS – Various topics	1994-2002
	Printed Material
Box/Folder
3/11	SMS – State of Montana ITS/CVO Business Plan	1999
3/12	SMS – 2000 Montana State Rail Plan	2000
	Subject Files
Box/Folder
3/13	SMS – Systems Impact Action Process	1998-1999
3/14	SMS – Albertson’s Shopping Center, Libby	1998
3/15	SMS – Flying “J” Travel Plaza, Helena	1998-1999
3/16	SMS – Tongue River Railroad Company	1998
3/17	SMS – Great Northern Area, Helena	1998
3/18	SMS – US 93 Access Control Corridor Preservation	1999
3/19	SMS – ASARCO Rock Creek Mine, Noxon	1999
3/20	SMS – Baxter Creek Business Park, Bozeman	1999
3/21	SMS – P5 Access Control	1999
3/22	SMS – Montana/Lyndale/Helena Ave., Helena	1998
3/23	SMS – Ramshorn View Estates, Big Sky	1998
3/24	SMS – Boothill Subdivision, Billings	1998
3/25	SMS – Billings Safety Improvement	1998
4/1	SMS – Safeway Store, Polson	1998
4/2	SMS – Northside Retail Center, Helena	1998
4/3	SMS – The Gallatin Center, Bozeman	1998
4/4	SMS – Bridger Peaks Town Center	1998
4/5	SMS – Miscellany Impact Surveys	1979-1999
4/6	SMS – SMS Program Files	1994
4/7	SMS – Montana Rest Area Plan	1999
4/8	SMS – TranPlan21 Public Involvement Surveys	1999
4/9	SMS – Montana-Wyoming Safety Council, Defensive Driving	1998
4/10	SMS – Safe-net Program, Public Safety Initiative	2000
4/11	SMS – Railroad Crossings	1995-2000
4/12	SMS – National Institute for Driver Behavior	2000
4/13	SMS – Missing Signs and Sign Vandalism	2000
4/14	SMS – Federal Highway Administration, Best Practices Guidebook	2000
4/15	SMS – Flagger Certification and Traffic Control	1999-2001
4/16	SMS – Corridor/Community Working Group	1994-1996
4/17	SMS – Hazard Elimination Working Group	1994-1997
4/18	SMS – Hazard Elimination Working Group	1997-1999
4/19	SMS – Occupant Protection Working Group	1995
4/20	SMS – Steering Committee Agenda Files	1994-1996
4/21	SMS – Steering Committee Meetings	1994-1997
4/22	SMS – Steering Committee Agenda Files	1997-1999
4/23	SMS – Steering Committee Meetings	1997-2001
4/24	SMS – Steering Committee Agenda Files	2002
4/25	SMS – Working Group: Work Zone Safety	1994-1997
5/1	SMS – Working Group: Work Zone Safety	1995-1998
5/2	SMS – Working Group: Work Zone Safety	1997-1999
5/3	SMS – Working Group: Work Zone Safety	1998–1999
5/4	SMS – Working Group: Work Zone Safety	1999-2000
5/5	SMS – Working Group: Work Zone Safety	1999-2001
6/1	SMS – Working Group: Work Zone Safety	2000-2001
6/2	SMS – Working Group: Work Zone Safety	2000-2001
6/3	SMS – Working Group: Work Zone Safety	2002

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Roads
Traffic Safety
Traffic safety--Montana--Statistics

Archives West Finding Aid

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