Published on May 08, 2026
HELENA, Mont. -
In 2025, the City of Helena received a $3.2 million federal grant award for the Montana Avenue Grade Separation project through the Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) program. The project, which launches this month, will advance planning, environmental review, and preliminary engineering for a grade separation of the existing at-grade BNSF Railway crossing at Montana Avenue and reconfiguration of the adjacent five-point intersection. Key outcomes include identification of a preferred corridor configuration, completion of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation, and advancement of preliminary engineering for the preferred alternative through 30% design.
The project will be a collaborative process led by the City of Helena, with participation by BNSF Railway and the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT). Federal oversight will be provided by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
The project is located in the City of Helena, Lewis and Clark County, within the following limits:
Initial site investigations are anticipated to begin in May 2026 and will include drilling, survey, and traffic data collection activities. Community involvement opportunities will be announced later in 2026 after baseline project information has been gathered and analyzed. Initial in-person and virtual public outreach activities are anticipated in the fall, but the public may provide comment at any time via the project website at https://beheardhelena.com/montana-avenue-grade-separation-project.
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