Montana Department of Transportation, Bridge Bureau records

Montana Department of Transportation, Bridge Bureau records, 1919-2003

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Montana. Department of Transportation.
Title: Montana Department of Transportation, Bridge Bureau records
Dates: 1919-2003 (inclusive)
19192003
Quantity: 6 linear feet
Collection Number: RS 492 (Formerly RS 401)
Summary: This collection is a sub-subgroup (Bureau) of the Montana Department of Transportation records, RS 492. The Bridge Bureau currently (as of 2024) operates under the Engineering Division. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of Transportation records. Records of the Montana Department of Transportation, Bridge Bureau document the construction, repair, and inspection of bridges and associated structures (abutments, etc.) around Montana from the late 1910s to the 2000s, and are comprised of correspondence, diaries, minutes, 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 is headed by an administrator. The Centralized Services Division, Engineering Division, Motor Pool Division, Gross Vehicle Weight Division, and the Maintenance Division are furthered sub-divided into bureaus, headed by Chiefs. In 1991, the Department of Highways became the Department of Transportation.

In 1996, the Bridge Bureau was a direct subdivision of the Highways and Engineering Division. At present, it is a bureau of the Preconstruction Program, which is under the umbrella of the Highways and Engineering Division. Currently, the Bridge Bureau designs all major bridges for highways controlled by the department, and approves bridge design performed by consultants. Historically, the Bridge Bureau was also responsible for the construction, repair, and inspection/assessment of bridges and associated structures (abutments, etc.) around Montana.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection consists primarily of subject files detailing the assessments and construction of, and repairs to, bridges around Montana. It also contains one folder of meeting minutes of the Bureau, two diaries kept by J.J. Anderson of work done on the Poplar-Flaxville project in Roosevelt County, and ten folders of correspondence from Bridge Bureau satellite offices.

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

36:8-1

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

CorrespondenceReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/1	Bridge Correspondence: Billings	1966-1971
1/2	Bridge Correspondence: Bozeman	1970
1/3	Bridge Correspondence: Butte	1970
1/4	Bridge Correspondence: Glendive	1969-1971
1/5	Bridge Correspondence: Great Falls	1952-1971
1/6	Bridge Correspondence: Havre	1968-1971
1/7	Bridge Correspondence: Kalispell	1970-1971
1/8	Bridge Correspondence: Lewistown	1970
1/9	Bridge Correspondence: Miles City	1966-1970
1/10	Bridge Correspondence: Missoula	1969-1970

DiariesReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/11	2 journals kept by J.J. Anderson dealing with Project S-15 (Poplar-Flaxville) in Roosevelt County	1953-1954

MinutesReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/12	Meeting Minutes	1994-1999

Subject FilesReturn to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/13	Carter Bridge	1919-1921
1/14	(Off system) Missouri River	1919-1920
1/15	Bonner Bridge	1920-1921
1/16	Missouri River Bridge (C2)	1921-1957
1/17	Armells Creek	1931-1932
1/18	F.A.P. 175 (Fred Burr Creek Bridge)	1931
1/19	Missouri River Bridge (D2)	1931-1944
1/20	Powder River Bridge	1933-1934
1/21	Tongue River	1933-1934
1/22	Floweree Canal	1934-1936
1/23	Mossmain O’head	1934-1968
1/24	Lyndale O’head, Helena	1935-1936
1/25	Missoula River Bridge (Orange St.)	1936-1955
1/26	Clark’s Fork Yellowstone River	1939-1940
1/27	Missouri River Bridge at Malta-Lewiston	1946-1962
1/28	Bridge – N.P. Ry. 1130-02-32	1948-1949
1/29	Missouri River Bridge at Cascade	1949-1953
1/30	Bridge No. 7-2120-5.8	1951
1/31	Bridge – 0730-02	1952
1/32	Bridge – Wibaux	1952
1/33	Bridge – 0510	1952-1953
1/34	Bridge Repair (by area)	1954-1971
2/1	Lyndale Avenue overpass	1956-1966
2/2	Various Bridges #1	1956-1968
2/3	Clark Fork River “Band Man flats”	1965-1973
2/4	Billings Division	1968
2/5	Bozeman Division	1968
2/6	Butte Division	1968
2/7	Glendive Division	1968
2/8	Great Falls Division	1968
2/9	Harve Division	1968
2/10	Kalispell Division	1968
2/11	Lewistown Division	1968
2/12	Miles City Division	1968
2/13	Missoula Division	1968
2/14	Prairie Elk Creek	1968
2/15	Wolf Point Division	1968
2/16	Powder River, near Terry	1970
2/17	Lyndale Avenue Bridge	1970
2/18	Boulder River	1972-1974
2/19	Jefferson River	1973
2/20	West Boulder River	1973-1974
2/21	Historic Bridge Inventory – Part I and II	1980
2/22	Historic Bridge Inventory – Part III	1980
2/23	Pedestrian Bridge (I-15, Helena)	1982
2/24	Haddow Creek	1988-1996
2/25	Brown Creek	1987-1996
2/26	Jack Creek	1987-1996
2/27	Big Ditch	1983-2000
2/28	Red Rock River	1985-1994
2/29	Sullivan Creek	1987-1996
2/30	Pishkun Canal	1979-2001
2/31	No name bridge (12 miles SE Zurich)	1979-2003
2/32	Jensen Coulee	1979-2001
2/33	Spokane Creek	1980-1997
2/34	S. Fork, Smith River	1979-1996
2/35	Catlin Spring Creek	1986-1997
2/36	Number Five Coulee	1983-1997
2/37	Cottonwood Creek	1985-1997
2/38	Con’s Coulee	1980-1998
2/39	Middle Charlie Creek	1979-1996
2/40	Irrigation Canal (1 mile North of 3 Forks)	1979-1997
3/1	No Name (4 miles NW Coran)	1979-1995
3/2	Thirteen Mile Creek	1979-1998
3/3	Stockpass (5 miles NW Norris)	1988-1996
3/4	Stockpass (4 miles NW Norris)	1988-1996
3/5	Stockpass (4 miles SE Harrison)	1988-1996
3/6	Stockpass (1 mile NW Norris)	1983-1996
3/7	Drainage (2 miles NW Norris)	1988-1996
3/8	Stockpass (3 miles NW Norris)	1983-1996
3/9	Drainage (5 miles S. Bynum)	1987-1996
3/10	East Fork Battle Creek	1988-1996
3/11	Kleinschmidt Canal	1980-1997
3/12	E. Fork Pipe Creek	1988-1993
3/13	Drainage (21 miles S. Klein)	1983-1997
3/14	Sears Creek	1983-1996
3/15	Stockpass (7 miles E. Pipeston)	1986-1995
3/16	Drainage (7 miles E. Hinsdale)	1987-1995
3/17	Canal (2 miles E. Hinsdale)	1987-1995
3/18	Milk River Overflow (2 miles E. Hinsdale)	1987-1995
3/19	No Name Ditch (4 miles NE Fairfield)	1980-1997
3/20	No Name Canal (10 miles SE Winnett)	1981-1996
3/ 21	Slaughter House Creek	1989-1997
3/22	Lang Creek	1989-1995
3/23	Muskrat Creek	1983-1998
3/24	Crackerbox Creek	1980-1993
3/25	Little Bighorn	1978-1995
3/26	Warm Springs Creek	1981-1996
3/27	Whitefish River	1980-1994
3/28	Lynch Creek	1973-1996
3/29	Miscellaneous Structures	1985-1997
3/30	Clark Fork (3 m. S. of Laurel) – File 1	1994-1996
3/31	Clark Fork (3 m. S. of Laurel) – File 2	1996
3/32	East Bridge – Billings – Part I	1977-1993
3/33	East Bridge – Billings – Part I	1988-1996
3/34	Musselshell River (1 m. S.E. of Melstone)	1988-1992
3/35	Milk R. – Wagner	1995-2003
3/36	Selway Bridge North of Dillon	1995-2003
3/37	Como Bridge	1996-2003
4/1	Upper Nine Mile Road	1953-1962
4/2	Reserve Street Missoula – Part I (maps)	1966-1975
4/3	Reserve Street Missoula – Part II	1956-1971
4/4	Reserve Street Missoula – Part II	1972-1976
4/5	Reserve Street Missoula – Part III	1975-1978
4/6	Warden Bridge – Part I	1979
4/7	Warden Bridge – Part I (maps)	1979
4/8	Warden Bridge – Part II	1979
4/9	Warden Bridge – Part II	1980-1983
4/10	Warden Bridge – Part III	1983-1984
4/11	Varney – East	1985-1995
4/12	Missouri River Bridge S. of W. Point	1992-1996
4/13	Missouri River Bridge S. of W. Point – File 2	1996-1997
4/14	Missouri River Bridge S. of W. Point – File 3	1996-1999
5/1	Old Missouri River Bridge	1985-1987
5/2	Ulm Bridge	1981-1984
5/3	Sun River Bridge	1990-1997
5/4	Swan R. – West of Ferndale	1997-1998
5/5	Helena – York Bridge	1979
5/6	Helena – York Bridge	1978-1983
5/7	Helena – York Bridge – Part II	1980
5/8	Helena – York Bridge – Part II	1980-1981
5/9	Flathead River Bridge	1992-1993
5/10	Flathead River Bridge	1993-1997
6/1	Flathead River NE of Kalispell	1978-1994
6/2	Yellowstone R. – 3 m. NW Pompey’s Pillar (1)	1993-1998
6/3	Yellowstone R. – 3 m. NW Pompey’s Pillar (2)	1998-2001
6/4	Yellowstone R. – 3 m. NW Pompey’s Pillar (3)	1999-2002
6/5	W. Billings Int – Abutment walls	1995-1998
6/6	W. Billings interchange – complete – File 1	1986-1994
6/7	W. Billings interchange – complete – File 2	1992-1998
6/8	East Helena – East and West – Part I	1973-1977
6/9	East Helena – East and West – Part II	1967-1977
6/10	East Helena – East and West – Part III	1977-1978

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Bridge construction--United States
Bridges--Montana--Design and Construction--History--20th century
Bridges--United States---Montana
Depressions--1929--Montana

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