Montana Historical Society
Archives
RS 420_RS 492
Montana. Department of
Transportation.
Montana Department of Transportation, Traffic, Safety, and
Training Bureau records
1957-2002
4.8 linear feet
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.
41:3-5
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.
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.
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.
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
Traffic Safety
Traffic safety--Montana--Statistics
Montana
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series I: Department of Highways, Safety and Training
Bureau
Correspondence
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
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 Bureau
Printed Material
2/13
Training and Conference Brochure
1985-1991
Subject Files
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 Section
Correspondence
3/9
SMS – Steering Committee
1998-2001
3/10
SMS – Various topics
1994-2002
Printed Material
3/11
SMS – State of Montana ITS/CVO Business
Plan
1999
3/12
SMS – 2000 Montana State Rail Plan
2000
Subject Files
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