Montana Historical Society
Archives
RS 413_RS 492
Montana. Department of
Transportation.
Montana Department of Transportation, Public Affairs Bureau
records
1919-2003
3.8 linear feet
This collection is a sub-subgroup
(Bureau) of the Montana Department of Transportation records, RS 492. The Public
Affairs Bureau currently (as of 2024) operates under the Director's Office Division. Please
see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of
Transportation records. The Public Affairs Bureau records (1991-1992, 1995-2001)
consist of both the Information Unit files (1969-1994), the Public Affairs Bureau files
(1991-1995), and the Public Information Officer files (1996-1999).
40:7-3
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 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. This was primarily a name change. However, there were some structural and
administrative changes.
The Department of Transportation Public Affairs Bureau was previously the Department of
Highways Information Unit before the 1991 reorganization. The Bureau administered Highways
and Transportation information, data and statistics used for public affairs and public
relations. This included information for: media relations; correspondence with members of
the public; public presentations; new and press releases; and other referential information
necessary for public, Federal, and State needs. Correspondence files include public
inquiries and responses regarding road conditions, statistical information, and tourist
information.
Dennis Unsworth was the Manager of the Department of Highways Information Unit. After the
1991 departmental reorganization he became the Public Information Officer, and head of the
Public Affairs Bureau.
The Public Affairs Bureau records (1991-1992, 1995-2001) consist of both the Information
Unit files (1969-1994), the Public Affairs Bureau files (1991-1995), and the Public
Information Officer files (1996-1999). The Information Unit files primarily include compiled
statistical information, news and press release, tourist and other referential information
necessary for public, Federal, and State inquiries and data. Correspondence with other State
departments and Highways Bureaus include news, media, and press releases; clippings;
reports, studies and survey data; public presentations and speeches. Some significant topics
include rest area information displays, Gallatin Canyon – US Highway 191 highway studies,
the “Montana Highway Dilemma”, and Transportation 20/20 studies.
The Public Affairs Bureau records (1991-1992, 1995-2001) consist of general press releases
(1991-2001), and a subject files (1995) regarding the Dave Manning Memorial Building
Dedication. Press release topics include Commission meetings and bid lettings The Public
Information Officer, Dennis Unsworth, was the Chief of the Public Affairs Bureau, as well as
the Manager of the Information Unite, before departmental reorganization. Unsworth’s files
(1998-2000) contain similar records to those within the Information Unit and the Public
Affairs Bureau files. The public Information Officer concern public relations, referential
information to be used for media relations, and public awareness campaigns. A number of the
files relate specifically to the US Highway 93 / Stevensville construction.
The collection is organized into three Series: The Information Unit files, the Public
Affairs Bureau files, and the files of the Public Information Officer.
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.
Public Affairs and
Administration--Highways--Montana.
Roads--Montana
Helena (Mont.)--Politics and
government
Montana
Transportation
Detailed Description of the Collection
Information Unit
1975-1990
Correspondence
1/1-2
Billings District
1985-1987
1/3
Butte
1985-1990
1/4
Biennial Awards – Federal Highway Administration
1985-1986
1/5
Dillon
1988
1/6
Director’s Memorandums
1979-1980
1/7-18
General
1978-1989
1/19
Great Falls
1985-1987
1/20
Interstate 15 (I-15) Ribbon Cutting
1986
1/21
Missoula
1987-1989
1/22
Public Affairs and Tourism, Department of
1980
1/23
Requests for Information
1980
1/24
Rest Areas
1985-1987
1/25
Western Association of State and Transportation
Authorities Convention (WASHTO)
1988
1/26
Weekly Radio Shows
1975-1977
Subject Files
1/27
“Attitudes Toward Highway Conditions, Operations And
Taxation” for the Montana Department Of Transportation
1980
1/28
Centerline Highways Publication
1978
1/29
Centennial Train
1978
1/30
Federal Aid, Fuel Taxation Survey
1980
1/31
Federal Highway Administration Press Conference
Helena, News Clipping
1978
1/32-34
Gallatin Canyon – US Highway 191
1987-1991
1/35
Gallatin Canyon – US Highway 191: Anderson Report,
Commerce Clause
1986
1/36
Gallatin Canyon – US Highway 191: Environmental
Assessment
1980
1/37
Gallatin Canyon – US Highway 191: Shontz
Memo
1987
1/38
Gallatin Canyon – US Highway 191: Traffic
Sufficiency Studies
1987
2/1
Gallatin Canyon – US Highway 191: News
Clippings
1986-1987
2/2
Hearings – Horse Canyon Preservation
1980-1981
2/3
Helena Advertising Federation Committee (Helena Ad
Club)
1979
2/4
Highway Complex Building
1978
2/5
Highway Department Study: RJ Hansen Associates,
Management Consulting Firm
1981-1982
2/6-7
Highway Signs
1986-1990
2/8
Historical Information
1919-1975
2/9
Historical Information: Roads
1981
2/10
Litter Campaign
1969-1980
2/11
Logo Signs
1990-1991
2/12
Manual for Campground and Recreational
Signs
1980
2/13-14
Montana Highway Commission Meetings – New Releases
1977-1990
2/15
Montana Highway Commission Organizational
Charts
1960-1970
2/16-17
“Montana Highway Dilemma” Presentation
1981
2/18
“Montana Highway Dilemma” Conference
1981
2/19
Mount Saint Helens Volcano Ash Fallout – New
Release
1980
2/20
National Transportation Week
1983-1987
2/21
News Releases – Director’s Speeches
1989
2/22
News Releases – Employee Awards (Include
Images)
1989-1990
2/23
News Releases – General
1978,1988-1990
2/24
News Releases – Personnel
1981-1983
2/25
News Releases – Bid Lettings
1990
2/26
Open House Planning
1971
2/27
Photologging Montana / Photogrammetry
1971
2/28
Project Selection / Tentative Construction
Selection
1982
2/29
“Montana Department of Highways Recommended Project
Selection Process,” Planning and Research Bureau
1982
2/30
Reconstruction Facts
1981
2/31
Reorganization, (Includes Clippings)
1981-1983
2/32
Rest Area
1963-1982
2/33
Rest Area Development
1972-1977
2/34
Road Awards
1969-1980
2/35
Safety
1976-1982
2/36
Schwinden Administration
1980-1982
2/37
Snow Removal Plan
1981-1982
2/38
Speeches
1972-1983
2/39
Speeches – Governors Speech
1981
2/40
Strategic Committee on Information / Communications
(Public Image)
1981-1987
2/41
Strike Plan
1981
2/42
Tourism
1980
2/43
Transportation 20/20, Survey &
Studies
1988-1989
3/1
Transportation 20/20
1990
3/2
Trucking Deregulation (Includes
Clippings)
1979-1982
3/3
Van Pooling and Carpooling
1979-1980
3/4
Year End Reports
1972-1974
Clippings
3/5
Bridges
1969-1978
3/6
Coal Tax
1980-1982
3/7
Construction Strike
1982
3/8
District – Billings
1986, 1994
3/9
District – Butte
1986, 1994
3/10
District – Glendive
1986, 1994
3/11
District – Great Falls
1986, 1994
3/12
District – Missoula
1986, 1994
3/13
55 mph. Speed Limit Enforcement
1981
3/14
Flood Disaster
1981
3/15-21
Headquarters – Helena
1984-1988
3/22
Ron Richards
1977-1978
3/23
State
1986, 1994
3/24
Railroads
1980-1983
3/25
“Report of Classification of Open Range Unfenced
Areas Adjacent to Primary Highway Systems”
1977
Public Affairs Bureau
1991-1995
Subject Files
3/26
SJR 25 Dave Manning Highway Building
1995
3/27
News Releases – General
1992
3/28
News Releases – Commission Meetings
1991
3/29
News Releases – Bid Lettings
1992
Public Information Officer
1996-2000
Subject Files
4/5
Highway 93 – Four Lane Conversion
1999-2000
4/6
Legislative Information
1998-2000
4/7
Strategies and Communication Recommendations
undated
4/8
Seat Belt Campaign
1999-2000
4/9
Technical Memorandum: Traffic Analysis –
Intersection Of US Highway and East Side Highway: Stevensville
1999
4/10
US Highway 93: Stevensville Intersection / Lolo to
Hamilton Road (Includes Clippings)
1999-2000
4/11
US Highway 93: Stevensville Intersection / Lolo to
Hamilton Road
1999-2000
4/12
Aeronautics
2000
4/13
Engineering
1999-2000
4/14
Environmental
1999-2000
5/1
Human Resources
1999-2000
5/2
Maintenance Division
1999-2000
5/3
Motor Carrier Services (State Truck Activity
Reporting System)
1999-2000
5/4
Transportation Planning Division
1999-2000
5/6
District Offices (Includes Correspondence)
1999-2000
5/7
Public Correspondence
1999-2000
5/8
Customer Focus Improvement
1998-2000
5/9
State Vehicle Slow Down Campaign
1999
5/10
Speakers Bureau
1999-2000
5/11
First Special Service Force
1996
5/12
Construction Status Reports
1999-2000