On a 4 to 1 vote, the Montana Transportation Commission will allow digital billboards on land along state highways zoned commercial or industrial.

The rule was first proposed on March 3 and was the subject of a public hearing in Helena on April 1. When it goes into effect later this summer, the rule will allow digital billboards for the first time in Montana with the following requirements:

• 1,000 feet from an entrance or exit of the road
• 500 feet from an intersection
• 2,000 feet from another billboard.

The rules also restrict the billboards to a minimum display time of eight seconds and a maximum change interval of one second. The brightness level is limited and the use of automatic dimming is required. The rule prohibits paging, scrolling or streaming messages or transitions that fade, roll, explode, dissolve, spin, revolve or shake the messages. They also ban flashing, intermittent or moving lights, and jumping arrows or flashing borders.

Currently on the 18-mile stretch of Interstate 90 between the Bear Canyon Road exit and Belgrade there are 33 billboards. Between Belgrade and the northern edge of the North Gallatin County Zoning District, 19 miles, there are 48 billboards.

For more information you can link to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.

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