Archives West Finding Aid
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Montana Department of Transportation, Highway Planning Survey records, 1933-1963
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Montana. Department of Transportation. Highway Planning Survey
- Title
- Montana Department of Transportation, Highway Planning Survey records
- Dates
- 1933-1963 (inclusive)19331963
- Quantity
- 0.5 linear feet
- Collection Number
- RS 492 (Formerly RS 85)
- Summary
- This collection is a sub-subgroup (Bureau) of the Montana Department of Transportation records, RS 492. The Highway Planning Survey, which became the Planning and Research Bureau following the Executive Reorganization of 1971, formerly operated under the Engineering Division. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of Transportation records. These Montana Highway Planning Survey records (1933-1963) consist of general correspondence, arranged by subject; subject files; and miscellany. (Maps and printed material transferred to Library.)
- 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 open for research.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Planning Survey of the State Highway Commission was established in 1936, jointly financed by the state and the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads. Also known as the Planning Survey Division, it was charged with developing any and all types of data that would be beneficial for highway planning. In order to fulfill that responsibility the Division was structured into three principal sections: Traffic, Mapping, and Statistics. The Traffic Section was given the responsibility of collecting data concerning the movement of motor vehicles on state highways, county roads, and city streets. The data was collected by means of both permanent and portable counters, as well as by visual counts and classifications. In addition to traffic counting, the Traffic Division was given a number of other functions including the weighing of trucks to obtain statistical information; the reporting of the number of accidents by location, type of accident, and economic cost; special urban transportation surveys for cities; origin destination surveys; and parking surveys.
The Mapping Section was to prepare state highway maps, county maps, and city plats. The Mapping Section was also to collect data concerning county roads and to maintain a continuing inventory of all such roads in each county, including the type of surface of each road as well as mileages. The Mapping Section also performed special drafting of charts, graphs, and special exhibits. The Statistical Section was responsible for the compilation and reporting of a variety of financial and statistical data pertaining to highways, roads, and streets throughout Montana. These data were reported in published format and were also included in the summaries prepared by the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads for all states.
The name of the Montana Highway Planning Survey was changed in 1966 to the Planning Survey Section, and, in 1971 following the statewide reorganization, became the Planning and Research Bureau under the new Department of Highways (later Department of Transportation). This bureau is now defunct.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
These records consist of general correspondence (1935-1963) arranged alphabetically by subject; printed material (1938-1939); subject files (1936-1945), arranged alphabetically; and miscellany. Maps and printed material have been transferred to the Library Map Collection and Library respectivelly.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.
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
The collection is arranged by series.
Location of Collection
20:1-2Processing 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 300 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 is available upon request.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
General correspondence Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 1 | Administration BPR (re Bureau of Public Roads) |
1955 |
| 1 / 2 | Economic analysis |
1961-1963 |
| 1 / 3 | Traffic |
1944-1963 |
| 1 / 4 | Traffic: signs |
1935-1941 |
| 1 / 5 | Miscellaneous |
1936-1944 |
Maps and printed material Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 6 | Public Roads; list of maps and printed material
transferred to Library Map collection and Library respectively |
undated |
Subject files Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 7 | Key stations and blanket count stations |
1938-1939 |
| 1 / 8 | Manuals of instruction |
1936 |
| 1 / 9 | Method of expansion of Montana traffic data; Montana
Highway Planning survey |
1938-1939 |
| 1 / 10 | Traffic general - primary system; traffic general-
secondary |
1940-1945 |
| 1 / 11 | Truck and bus: general |
1936 |
| 1 / 12 | Truck and bus: blanket count (part III) |
1936 |
| 1 / 13 | Truck and bus: key count (part IV) |
1936 |
| 1 / 14 | Truck and bus: loadometer stations (part V) |
1936 |
| 1 / 15 | Truck and bus: pit scale stations (part VI) |
1936 |
Miscellany Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 16 | Blank forms |
1936-1937, undated |
| 1 / 17 | Contracts let in 1932 and uncompleted on Mar. 30,
1933 |
1933 |
| 1 / 18 | Montana Highway Employees' Benefit Association bylaws |
undated |
| 1 / 19 | Portable counter plans; Folsom portable counter
diagram |
1941 |
| 1 / 20 | Traffic at state entrances: traffic profiles and
maximum load study (US 310, US 10A, Park Cutoff) |
1940 |
| 1 / 21 | Traffic station locations |
1953 |
| 1 / 22 | Weighing station reports (includes blank forms) |
1952-1960 |
| 1 / 23 | Western Association of State Highway Officials
uniform code |
1938 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Highway planning--Montana
- Road surveying--Montana
Finding aid prepared by MTHS Staff; Updated by Lindsey
Mick
2004;
2024
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
