Local News

How will new I-90 Interchange impact Belgrade businesses?

Posted: Dec 19, 2012 12:11 PM by Adam Bell
Updated: Dec 19, 2012 1:00 PM

BELGRADE - How will new I-90 Interchange impact Belgrade businesses?

That is an answer many local business owners want to know. With the new interchange, traffic from the airport will have direct access to Interstate 90, bypassing downtown Belgrade, potentially impacting local businesses.

Executive director for the Belgrade Chamber Debra Youngberg says that this new interchange will have a minimal impact on local businesses because "people still have to get their groceries and they want to go to the liquor store, they want to eat at the restaurants, they might want to get a haircut and Belgrade is still going to be the closest entity for them to do that. We will have to do a little bit better marketing job once the interchange is in, but we're up for the challenge."

During their weekly meeting, Gallatin County Commissioners approved the purchase of a $2 million bond, for the project, securing $7 million in local funds for the more than $37 million project. The new interchange would be east of the current Belgrade interchange, connecting I-90 with the Airport Drive on the north and Alaska Road on the south. The interchange would also give Belgrade residents access from north to south of the railroad tracks without having to directly cross them. The new interchange will provide access under the railroad tracks.

If all goes according to plan, the project could be putting out bids for construction as early as this summer with construction beginning by this upcoming fall.