Severe Weather Closes I-90 Near Big Timber, Montana

MONTANA – Overnight, severe weather conditions led to the closure of Interstate 90 between Columbus and Big Timber. The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) decided to close eastbound traffic just before 10:00 p.m. and soon expanded the closure to both directions.

Walt Houghton, Maintenance Chief for the Billings Division of MDT, explained the situation. “This January is starting off with a bang and it was just the perfect storm, with that light fluffy snow and then we got a pretty good wind storm up through there with 35-45 mph and it just drifts in and that’s about all you can do,” he said.

Houghton received a call from their maintenance tech reporting a semi-truck had overturned, and snow was drifting onto the road so quickly that plows couldn’t keep up. This prompted the decision to close the roads for safety.

When the interstate is shut down, MDT crews focus on clearing detours for stranded drivers. “This incident from last night you know they were out plowing at it just got to be too much so we closed it, that’s when we started concentration on the Frontage road for the detour right around Big Timber and it pretty much stayed that way all night,” Houghton stated.

By 7:00 a.m., additional trucks from Laurel, Billings, and Columbus were sent to assist, and the road was reopened by the afternoon.

Houghton emphasized the importance of preparedness for those traveling in adverse weather. He advised drivers to keep an emergency kit in their car and to stay informed about road conditions by checking the 511-MT map.