East Fork Otter Creek Road is remote, mountainous county road that provides access to private land and recreational opportunities along National Forest System Lands in southeast Montana. DJ&A was hired to complete this road resurface, reconstruction, and rehabilitation project to upgrade 18 miles of the unpaved road to ensure compliance with current safety standards.

DJ&A assembled a multidisciplinary team to complete this complex project, which included a full design of the roadway, survey and mapping, culvert design and hydraulic analysis, environmental clearance, traffic planning, cost-benefit analysis, geotechnical investigation, drainage design, and cultural resource work in historically native territories.

DJ&A was also responsible for coordinating all utility relocation and public involvement for the project, and negotiated with government and private landowners to acquire the necessary right-of-way easements on behalf of Powder County. DJ&A completed the PS&E package and right-of-way plans, including utilities analysis, mapping, reports, Title Reports, and exhibits for easement acquisition.

DJ&A conducted all surveying for right-of-way development, completed right-of-way development plans, and delivered right-of-way files to WFLHD. DJ&A also obtained appraisals, prepared contract documents, and performed negotiations with each of the land owners on the project.

The primary successes of this project included an engineer’s estimate that was within 5% of the average bid price, a minimal number of change orders issued on the contract during construction, and the project was completed on schedule.

Key Services

• Cost benefit analysis
• Topographic and cadastral survey
• Geotechnical and materials analysis of the roadway
• Hydraulic analysis for drainage culverts and stream crossings
• Engineering of roadway alignment and grade and cross-section features
• Design of several approach roads
• Drainage design
• Right of way design including survey and setting monuments for the acquired right of way
• Completion of NEPA clearance and environmental permit applications
• Public and regulatory agency coordination;
• Utility Relocation
• Traffic control planning

Value Added

“The close ‘support’ of land swap negotiations was monumental… I think that it was truly a win-win solution for all of us. The county and the land owners got all their lands cleaned up and organized and it started us on the right foot with public relations and informed consent before the construction of the project.”