Speed limit lowered on busy section of Highway 135

Denise Moreth, General Manager of Quinn’s Hot Springs, says the process to lower the speed limit on Highway 135 near the resort was very slow, but professionalism and tenacity eventually paid off.

The first attempt of lowering the speed limit on Highway 135 at the resort happened about 10 to 12 years ago. Former Gov. Brian Schweitzer was out for dinner and had an extensive property tour when the subject of lowering the speed limit was discussed.

A speed study was completed soon after, but it didn’t support a reduced speed limit.

“Obviously, the traffic count is not at all what it is today,” said Moreth.

The topic resurfaced about three years ago and has been on their radar, but the pandemic has produced more business than imaginable so with the good fortune of a visitor, it reappeared with a strong direction.

Mark Herr, a guest of the resort last year, said that he had heard of their difficulties they experienced in the past attempting to navigate the maze it takes to hold a hearing on a speeding proposal. He and his wife are political consultants and they sent Quinn’s a proposal in October of last year with a strategy that included recruiting elected officials to take ownership of the project.

The Senior Management Team of Quinn’s Hot Springs and Resort consists of Ben Slusser, Managing Director. Mark Melief, President and Financial Director. Kevin Boles, Senior Manager. They, along with Moreth, who is a member of the team also, made another run at it but this time they enlisted the help of the Sanders County Commissioners and House District 14 Representative Denley Loge.

On Dec. 15, the meeting with the Montana Department of Transportation Commissioners was held in Helena.

“Safety was our number one concern”, said Moreth. “And it still is. We don’t want to slow traffic down for more business. We can’t take any more business. You cannot get a room for a weekend for four or five months out and it’s been this way since Covid. We are full weekdays for two months. This is not about revenue. This speed reduction is all about safety”, she expressed.

The resort has had incredible growth with cabins on the river and a convention center along with more rooms and new pools that were actually built into the mountainside since the last speed limit reduction denial.

“To put a bridge in or build a tunnel would have been ridiculous because it would have done nothing for the traffic issues”, she said. “I know that over 300 vehicles come and go a day,” Moreth said, as the concern for safety becomes more evident and the need for a slower speed limit in their area.

One of the arguments for lowering the speed limit was to introduce another rural location with a similar population for comparison. Paradise has about 150 residents and a speed limit of 35 mph. Quinn’s has between 140 and 147 employees taking care of at least as many guests. Service trucks seven days a week turn into the resort slowing traffic where service vehicles in Paradise are very few and they parallel park.

After presenting their argument and a video that was produced showing traffic at different times of the year which was recorded from the parking lot of Quinn’s and from dash-cams of the area, the MDT Commissioners voted, and it was far from a slam-dunk.

A close poll of three for a

nd two opposed, but the speed limit change was approved. “Today it is 70 mph but will be 55 on the east end and 55 prior to mile post 18, then it will drop down to 45 by the Big Horn camp and Quinn's”, explained Loge. “It will take probably about six months before we see signs just because of engineering, ordering and Installing. It has been a slow process, but it’s been taken care of”, he smiled.

“I credit the County Commissioners (Sanders County), especially Carol (Brooker). Representative Loge and Tammi Fisher (Montana Department of Transportation Commissioner for District 1). Without their support, this would have never happened”, beams Moreth.