Have you ever heard the saying "PRAY FOR ME, I DRIVE HIGHWAY 93?" It is a saying that you will hear from anyone who travels on one of Montana's most dangerous highways. Every day seems to be a roll of the dice on issues like weather, wildlife, or fatal crashes. For people who commute on this highway, everyday travel on the dangerous highway can be stressful.

I chose to buy a home in the Bitterroot Valley 9 years ago. The commute to Missoula has never really bothered me much. I appreciate the time I get to decompress after work. I enjoy sipping my coffee on the way to work in the morning too. The only time I really get bothered by the drive is in the case of terrible weather or road conditions.

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Where is the best place to get the latest road conditions for Highway 93?

The Montana Department of Transportation has a great website that has updates on road conditions across the state. But, it is a challenge for the MDT website to get specific about stretches of road that span across such a large state. The MDT website has an interactive map that shows you a general summary of what to expect from certain stretches of highway. With conditions varying from "DRY" to "Scattered Ice" and "Snow-covered."

I like to look at the road report before leaving the house. Just so I can get a sense of what to expect from my commute. The only problem is, the MDT site isn't super accurate. I have had the website warn me of poor conditions and prepared myself for an icy drive before. Only to find the roads clear and the weather nearly tropical.

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"PRAY FOR ME, I DRIVE 93!"

This is why I feel ANYONE who travels to the Bitterroot Valley NEEDS to become a part of an awesome online community called "THE BITTERROOT 500."

This group is a private Facebook group where members share updates on road conditions in real-time. With thousands of people commuting from the Bitterroot to Missoula each day, members regularly share updates on what they experienced firsthand on the roads that day.

  • Someone collided with a cow near Victor? Heard about it on the Bitterroot 500
  • Traffic backed up on the S-Turns near Lolo? Found out on the Bitterroot 500
  • SLOW DOWN! Police writing tickets as fast as they can? Got a heads-up by checking the Bitterroot 500
  • An entire elk heard is trying to cross near Trader Brothers? Found out on the Bitterroot 500

I promise, that if you travel to the Bitterroot for any reason, being a member of this simple online community will save you time and possibly save your life.

LOOK: Most dangerous states to drive in

Stacker used the Federal Highway Administration's 2020 Highway Statistics report to rank states by the fatalities per billion miles traveled. 

Gallery Credit: Katherine Gallagher

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Stacker compiled a list of the biggest 1-day snowfalls in Montana using data from the National Centers for Environmental Information.

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