Montana Historical Society
Archives
RS 425_RS 492
Montana. Department of
Transportation
Montana Department of Transportation, Legal Services Unit
records
1956-1996
7.4 linear feet
This collection is a sub-subgroup
(Office/Unit) of the Montana Department of Transportation records, RS 492. The
Legal Services Unit (now named Office of Legal Services) currently (as of 2024) operates
under the Professional Services Division. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of
Transportation records. This collection is comprised of records documenting the
work of the Legal Services Unit of the Montana Department of Transportation, which was
responsible for litigation, legal opinions, contract review, legislation and bill analysis,
and labor relations. It includes correspondence and subject files.
41:4-7
English
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.
The Legal Services Unit was comprised of an Administrator/Director, and a legal team of
between six and eight lawyers. Legal Services was responsible for dealing with litigation
leveled against the Department of Transportation (e.g. involving damage to public property,
etc.), legal opinions, contract review, legislation and bill analysis, and labor
relations.
Documents in this collection reflect the day-to-day functions of the Legal Services Unit.
Therefore, a large portion of this collection is comprised of correspondence between various
MDT divisions/bureaus and Legal Services, requesting opinions on legal cases, legislation,
proposed projects and contracts. Also included are subject files dealing with specific cases
being handled by Legal Services staff lawyers.
This collection is arranged by series.
Collection is open for research.
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.
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.
Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers.
Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.
Acquisition information available upon request
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society
Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places
should search under these terms.
Roads
Transportation--Montana
Roads--Montana
Montana
Transportation
Detailed Description of the Collection
Correspondence
1/1-10
Correspondence
1969-1992
1/11
Eschler, Jo
1983-1986
1/12
Reorganization
1982-1983
1/13-16
Willows, Sharlon
1988-1991
1/17
Admin. Div., Acct. Services Bureau
1989-1990
1/18
Admin. Div., Info. Services Bureau
1989-1990
1/19
Centralized Services Division
1979-1988
1/20
Director’s Office, Audit Section
1980, 1985-1987
2/1-2
Construction Bureau
1982-1990
2/3-6
Director’s Office, Director
1979-1990
2/7
Director’s Office, Deputy Director
1982-1984, 1987
2/8
Director’s Office, Strategic Planning
1989-1993
2/9-13
District Offices: Billings, Butte, Glendive, Great
Falls, and Missoula
1980-1991
2/14-17
Engineering
1978-1991
2/18
Materials Bureau
1984-1988
2/19
Planning and Research Bureau
1964-1973
2/20-21
Preconstruction Bureau
1981-1990
2/22-3/6
Right of Way Bureau
1968-1990
3/7-8
Gross Vehicle Weight
1979-1988
3/9-10
Maintenance
1981-1988
3/11
Motor Pool and Van Pool
1979-1987
3/12-13
Personnel
1980-1988
3/14-15
Civil Rights Bureau
1981-1987
3/16
Safety and Training Bureau
1980-1988
3/17
Planning and Statistics Bureau
1982-1985
3/18
Program Development
1982-1988
3/19
Project Analysis Bureau
1982-1988
4/1-3
Aeronautics Division
1991-1996
4/4
Administration Division
1991-1992
4/5-8
Accounting Services Bureau
1991-1996
4/9
Information Services Bureau
1991-1992
4/10
Purchasing Services Bureau
1991-1996
4/11
Director’s Office
1991-1994
4/12-13
Human Resources
1989-1996
4/14-18
District Offices: Billings, Butte, Glendive Great
Falls, and Missoula
1991-1996
4/19
Engineering Div., Materials Bureau
1995-1996
4/20
Engineering Div., Right of Way Bureau
1995-1996
4/21
Highways Division
1991-1994
4/22
Highways Div., Environ. & Hazardous
Waste
1992-1994
4/23
Highways Div., Preconstruction Bureau
1991-1994
4/24-5/2
Highways Div., Right of Way Bureau
1991-1994
5/3
Maintenance Division
1995-1996
5/4
Rail and Transit Division
1991-1994
5/5
Transportation Planning Division
1994-1995
Subject Files
5/6-12
Coalition for Canyon Preservation (CCP) [Glacier
National Park highway challenges]
1981-1987
5/13
Administrative Rules Recodification
1979-1980
5/14
Sage Advertising Contract
1973-1975
5/15
Aeronautics
1992
5/16
Annexations, Shelby
1978
5/17
Appointment of Council
1969-1974
5/18
Highway Council
1969-1970
5/19
Archaeological Investigation
1970-1971
5/20
Footpaths and Bicycle trails
1975-1979
5/21
Big Cattle Drive
1989
5/22
Billboards and Junkyards
1973
5/23
Board of Highway Appeals
1972-1973
5/24
Bozeman Pass
1976-1978
5/25
“Buy America” Act
undated
5/26
Cattle herding
1969
5/27
Citizen Participation
1976
5/28
Classification, Pay plan
1975-1976
6/1
Contractor Overtime Law
1972
6/2
Encroachments
1970-1975
6/3
Environment Statement (Nat’l Environ. Policy Act)
1972-1973
6/4
EEO Joint Venture Compliance
1972
6/5
Reorganization
1972
6/6
Federal Highway Act
1973
6/7
Federal Highway Act
1976
6/8
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Bureau of
Public Roads
1969-1971
6/9
FHWA Report (Conflict of Interest, Cert.)
1972-1976
6/10
Fish and Game
1969-1972
6/11
Fort Peck Indian Reservation
1984-1985
6/12
Fuel Escalation
1991
6/13
Gas Tax
1978-1981
6/14
“Airport Road – Gore Hill (Graybill)”
1973-1975
6/15
Great Falls Bridge and Utilities
Relocations
1974-1978
6/16-22
Gross Vehicle Weight (petitions and law changes)
1974-1992
6/23
Highway Building Appraisal
1976-1977
6/24
Gross Vehicle Weight, Reciprocity
1970-1974
6/25
Highway Tourist Map
1970
6/26
Highwood, Ft. Benton Route Study
1973-1976
6/27
Historic Preservation
1978-1979
6/28
“Indian Jurisdiction”
1977-1979
6/29
Motor Carrier Services Div., International
Registration Plan
1980-1984
7/1
“Junkyards”
1969-1978
7/2
Kountz Bridge
1972
7/3
“Labor”
1972-1973
7/4
Labor, Collective Bargaining Procedure
1973
7/5
“Labor Department Agreement”
1969-1971
7/6
“Labor Temple, Billings”
1969-1975
7/7
“Labor, Maintence”
1974
7/8
Negotiation Committee
1969-1970
7/9
“Union – Non-Maintence
1960-1970
7/10
“Overtime”
1956-1976
7/11
Montana Highway Commission, Union
Contracts
1962-1965
7/12
Montana Highway Commission, Lease/Insurance Of
Aircraft
1962
7/13
“Lee Newspaper Article”
1971-1974
7/14
Libby Dam
1971-1974
7/15
(Don) “Cowles – Livingston” (US 89)
1972-1973
7/16
Lockwood Water Users Association
1990-1991
7/17
Big Sky (Spur)
1975-1977
7/18
Longevity and Increments
1974
7/19
Looking Glass Hill
1992
7/20
Madison Valley Hospital (Ennis)
1991
7/21
Milwaukee Railroad Abandonment
1978
7/22
Milwaukee Railroad (Saltese)
1973
7/23
Milwaukee (DeBorgia)
1972
7/24
Missoula, Over- and Underpass
1973
7/25
Missoula School Crossings
1976
7/26
Motor Pool
1971-1974
7/27
Operation and Maintenance Charges
1968-1969
7/28
Occupational Safety and Health Act
1970
7/29
Outdoor Advertising Case Law
1985
7/30
Outdoor Advertising Control
Briefs/Findings
1980-1986
7/31
“Mel Palin”
1964-1978
7/32
Prequalification Board
1966-1979
7/33
Railroad Crossings Meeting
1970-1977
7/34
Railroad Insurance
1992-1993
7/35
Recodification of Highway Laws
1977-1978
7/36
Reorganization
1991
7/37
Right of Way Excess Land Sales
1975-1979
7/38
“St. Ignatius Pablo (FHA Concurrence)”
1969-1971
7/39
Secondary Roads
1962-1970
7/40
Seely-Swan Forest Service Easement
1990
7/41
10th Avenue South Speed Zone
1978
7/42
Summit Valley Inc., Proposed Rule Change
1974-1977
8/1
Thompson Falls Logging Road
1965
8/2
“Utility Occupancy Regulations in Lien Of
Easements
1970-1972
8/3
Vehicle Size and Weight on the Interstate System
1972-1975
8/4
Wolf Point Storm Sewer
1973
8/5
York Bridge
1979
8/6
“Miscellaneous”
1970-1976