Interstate 15 Business (Great Falls, Montana)
{{Short description|Business route in Montana}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox road
| state = MT
| type = BL
| route = 15
| map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-lat=47.496|frame-long=-111.322|zoom=12|type=line|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Interstate 15 Business (Great Falls, Montana)}}}}
| map_custom = yes
| map_notes = I-15 Bus. highlighted in red and unsigned I-315 highlighted in blue
| length_mi = 5.834
| length_ref = {{Citation needed|date=September 2008}}
| established = 1967
| direction_a = South
| terminus_a = {{jct|state=MT|I|15|US|89|MT|3|MT|200}} south of Great Falls
| junction = {{jct|state=MT|US|89|MT|3|MT|200}} in Great Falls
| direction_b = North
| terminus_b = {{jct|state=MT|I|15|US|89|MT|200}} in Great Falls
| counties = Cascade
| previous_type = US
| previous_route = 312
| browse_route = I-315
| next_type = Sec
| next_route = 315
| spur_type = I
| spur_of = 15
}}
Interstate 15 Business (I-15 Bus.) is a business loop of Interstate 15 (I-15) in Cascade County, Montana, United States, almost entirely within Great Falls. The route links I-15 (which bypasses downtown Great Falls to the west) with the center of Great Falls. As its business loop designation implies, I-15 Bus. terminates at I-15 (running concurrently with US Highway 89, or US 89, and Montana Highway 200, or MT 200, through western Great Falls) at each end. The southernmost {{convert|0.83|mi|km}}{{cite web |last=Starks |first=Edward |date=January 27, 2022 |title=Table 2: Auxiliary Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways |url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/interstate_highway_system/routefinder/table02.cfm |access-date=April 9, 2023 |work=FHWA Route Log and Finder List |publisher=Federal Highway Administration}} of the route from the interchange with I-15 to Fox Farm Road is designated, but not signed, as Interstate 315 (I-315).{{cite web |url = http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-315_mt.html |title = Interstate 315 Montana |work = Interstate-Guide.com |access-date = September 24, 2007 }}{{self-published inline|certain=yes|date=September 2022}} (has pictures showing that I-315 is signed as BL 15) I-315 is the second shortest Interstate in the country; only the unsigned I-878 in New York is shorter; it is also the northernmost auxiliary Interstate of I-15.
Route description
File:Baptist Church Great Falls MT.JPG, in the city center on 2nd Avenue, March 2013]]
I-15 Bus. begins at I-15 exit 278 in an unincorporated area of Cascade County, a short distance southwest of Great Falls. At the trumpet interchange, US 89 and MT 200 separate from I-15 and merge with I-15 Bus. Additionally, MT 3 begins at the interchange and follows the three routes to the east. Just east of the interchange with I-15, I-15 Bus. intersects 14th Street. The Interstate Highway standard conditions come to an end a short distance to the east at an intersection with Fox Farm Road.{{Cite map |author = Rand McNally |title = The Road Atlas '07 |year = 2007 |map= Montana |location = Chicago |publisher = Rand McNally |page = 61 |section = M16, N16 }} Here, the {{convert|0.83|mi|km|adj=on}} I-315 (designated along I-15 Bus. from I-15 to Fox Farm Road) comes to an end{{cite map |url = http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/urban_maps/fc_internet/GREATFALLSFUNC.PDF |title = Great Falls - Cascade County |author = Montana Department of Transportation |date = 2001 |location = Helena |publisher = Montana Department of Transportation |access-date = September 24, 2007 }} while I-15 Bus., US 89, MT 3, and MT 200 continue across the Missouri River into downtown Great Falls.
Within downtown, the four routes remain concurrent along 10th Avenue South to the parallel one-way couplet of 5th and 6th streets. I-15 Bus. northbound separates from US 89/MT 3/MT 200 at 6th Street, following the street northward through the city to the one-way 2nd Avenue North near the city center. I-15 Bus. turns to the west, following 2nd Avenue North to Park Street, then Park Street south to Central Avenue, where I-15 Bus. northbound rejoins the routing of I-15 Bus. southbound. Between Central Avenue and 10th Avenue South, I-15 Bus. southbound is routed along 1st Avenue North east to 5th Street South, then 5th Street South to 10th Avenue.
I-15 Bus. follows Central Avenue to the west, crossing the Missouri River once more as it exits downtown. After several intersections with local streets, I-15 Bus. terminates at I-15 exit 280. Central Avenue, however, continues westward from the exit.
History
{{Empty section|date=April 2023}}
{{Clear}}
Major intersections
{{jcttop|exit|state=MT|county=Cascade|length_ref=}}
{{MTint|exit
|location=none
|type=concur
|mile=0.000
|exit=—
|road={{jct|state=MT|I|15|US|89|dir2=north|MT|200|dir3=west|MT|3|dir4=begins|city1=Helena|city2=Shelby}}
|notes=Western end of I-315/US 89/MT 3/MT 200 concurrency; I-15 exit 278
}}
{{MTint|exit
|location=Great Falls
|lspan=4
|mile=0.335
|exit=0
|road=14th Street Southwest
|notes=Interchange}}
{{MTint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=0.828
|exit=—
|road=Fox Farm Road, 6th Street Southwest
|notes=Eastern end of I-315 concurrency
}}
{{MTint|exit
|espan=2
|type=concur
|mile=2.341
|road={{jct|state=MT|US|89|dir1=south|MT|3|dir2=south|MT|200|dir3=east|name3=10th Avenue South|to4=to|US|87}}
|notes=Eastern end of US 89/MT 3/MT 200 concurrency; I-15 Bus. becomes 6th Street South (one-way street)}}
{{MTint
|mile=5.834
|road={{jct|state=MT|I|15|US|89|MT|200|city1=Helena|city2=Shelby}}
|notes=Northern terminus; I-15 exit 280
}}
{{jctbtm|keys=concur}}
See also
{{portal|U.S. Roads|Montana}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{AttachedKML|display=title,inline}}
- {{commons category-inline|Interstate 15 Business (Great Falls, Montana)}}
{{3di|15}}
{{authority control}}
15 Business (Great Falls, Montana)