Montana Department of Transportation, Administration Division records

Montana Department of Transportation, Administration Division records, 1946–2001

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Montana. Department of Transportation.
Title: Montana Department of Transportation, Administration Division records
Dates: 1946–2001 (inclusive)
19662001
Quantity: 2.2 linear feet
Collection Number: RS 492 (Formerly RS 424)
Summary: This collection is a subgroup (Division) of the Montana Department of Transportation records, RS 492. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of Transportation records. This collection is comprised of records documenting the work of the Administration Division of the Montana Department of Highways, and the Montana Department of Transportation, including: correspondence, reports, minutes, manuals, and subject files.
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.

Historically, functions of the Administration Division were covered by the Centralized Services Division. In 1991, the Administration Division was created as a division of the Director’s Office. By 1992, the Administration Division included the following bureaus: Accounting Services, Financial Management, Information Services, and Purchasing Services. The Administration Division currently provides support services for the entire Department of Transportation in accounting, financial management, purchasing and mail services. It includes the following: Accounting Controls Bureau, Budget and Planning Bureau and the Fiscal Operations Bureau.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection is comprised of records documenting the work of the Administration Division of the Montana Department of Highways, and the Montana Department of Transportation, including: correspondence, reports, minutes, manuals, and subject files. Also included are minutes of the Accounting Services Bureau meetings, District Engineers meetings, and the section of Montana’s Administrative Code relating to the Department of Highways.

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

41:4-6

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

Montana Department of Transportation, Administration DivisionReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Correspondence
Box/Folder
1/1	Excise Gas Tax	1991-1998
1/2	Various Topics	1991-1994
	Minutes
Box/Folder
1/3	Administration Division Staff meetings	1993-1994
1/4-1/10	Accounting Services Bureau (ASB) meetings	1989-1996
1/11	ASB Supervisor’s meetings	1990
1/12-13	Centralized Services Division meetings	1990-1991
1/14	District Centralized Services Division meetings	1993-1995
1/15	District Engineers Meetings	1990-1992, 1995
1/16	Motor Fuels Task Force meetings	1993-1995
	Reports
Box/Folder
1/17	Audit Report	1993
1/18	FHWA: Audit Report Response	1992
1/19	FHWA: Fuel Tax Evasion Grant Report	1993, 1995
1/20	FHWA: Quarterly Accomplishment Reports	1991-1994
1/21	FHWA: Shelby Feasibility Study	1989-1992
1/22	Office of the State Examiner: Report on State Highway Financial Accounts	1966-1967
1/23-26	Office Support Unit Monthly Reports	1991-1992,1994-1997
1/27	Year-end Cost Reports	1995-1997
	Subject Files
Box/Folder
1/28	AASHTO Annual Meeting Bids	1993
1/29	Administration Division Leave Trends	undated
1/30	Cash Bond Procedures	undated
1/31	Community Transportation Enhancement	1993
1/32	MPEA Master Agreement	1992
2/1	Other Compensation Task Force	1993-1996
2/2	Payroll	1993
2/3	Petroboard	1991-1997
2/4	Policy and Procedure: Motor Fuels Interest and Penalty	1996
2/5	Policy and Procedure: Fuel Tax Refunds	1988-1996
2/6	Policy and Procedure: Theft Policy	1996
2/7	Task Force/Advisory Councils	1990
2/8	Miscellany subjects	1990-1994
2/9	Organizational Charts	1998, 2000-2001

Montana Department of Highways, Administration DivisionReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Correspondence
Box/Folder
2/10-2/12	CADD System: Purchase and etc.	1985-1990
2/13-14	Memos	1981-1989
	Subject Files
Box/Folder
2/15	Consolidated Manpower Estimating System	1988
2/16-17	Record Retention Schedules	1982-1988
	Miscellany
Box/Folder
2/18	Montana State Highway Commission Accounting Manual	undated
2/19	Montana Administrative Code, “APA Rules”	undated
2/20	“State Laws Pertaining to Highways, 6”	1968
3/1	Cost Accounting Procedure Manuals	1946-1947
3/2	Construction Financing Manual	1963
3/3	Cost Accounting Code Manual	1964
3/4	Cost Accounting Code Manual	1964-1975

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Roads
Roads--Montana
Transportation--Montana

Archives West Finding Aid

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