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Traffic heat map of Powell County, Montana: 185 miles of roads shaded from blue (light) to red (heavy traffic)

Powell County, Montana Traffic Counts

Our Powell County, Montana traffic data covers 591 road segments over 185 road miles, with an average segment of just 1,655 ft. Its highways carry one of the top 5 truck shares of any county in Montana. Whether you are evaluating a new retail location, planning routes or assessing infrastructure, these numbers replace guesswork.
Data sourced from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform.
Data current as of:
Q3 2026
Updated:
September 29, 2026
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Total Traffic Volume & Performance in Powell County, Montana

Traffic

The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.

vehicles per day2,327
Trucks

The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.

20.1%
Average travel time

The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.

42.1 min
Congestion ratio

The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.

6.7%
Drivers’ average age

Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

50.1 yrs
Drivers’ average income

Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

$74,572

A typical monitored road in Powell County, Montana sees 2,327 vehicles per day, while its 185 miles of monitored roads together handle 584,984 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈214 million per year). About 1 in 5 vehicles is a truck, well above the 11.7% across Montana - a freight-heavy mix.

Busier roads than 73% of counties in Montana

At 2,327 vehicles per day, the average monitored road in Powell carries 45% less traffic than the state average of 4,202, suggesting less demand on each road - less drive-by exposure for retail, but easier access for deliveries. In total volume terms, its road network carries about 2.1% of Montana's statewide total of vehicle-miles. By volume, Powell's 2,327 vehicles per day outpaces 73% of counties in Montana.

Journey times run 17% higher than the state level, at 42.1 minutes on average. On travel time, Powell runs longer than 65% of counties in Montana.

At 45% lower than the state level, the 6.7% congestion ratio signals smoother traffic flow - fewer delays make delivery windows more reliable.

Highway vs. Non-Highway Traffic Analysis

highway traffic icon

Highway Traffic in Powell County, Montana

Trafficvehicles per day3,503
Trucks21.4%
Average travel time59.7 min
Congestion ratio7.7%
Drivers’ average age48.6 yrs
Drivers’ average income$73,973

The vast majority of driving in Powell County, Montana happens on highways: 88% of all vehicle-miles. The average highway carries 3,503 vehicles per day, 116% more than the average non-highway road in the same area, which carries 1,620 vehicles per day.

With 64% of the road miles (119 miles in 222 segments), highways punch above their length, carrying 515,325 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈188 million per year).

By highway travel volume, Powell outranks 80% of counties in Montana.

Higher highway truck share than 93% of counties in Montana

Highway truck concentration here runs 43% higher than the state average, at 21.4%. Highways here lean toward freight, so highway access is a real asset for logistics operators.

Powell's highway truck share (21.4%) is higher than 93% of counties in Montana. By raw truck volume, Powell carries more highway trucks than 85% of counties in Montana.

non-highway traffic icon

Non-highway Traffic in Powell County, Montana

Trafficvehicles per day1,620
Trucks11.0%
Average travel time31.6 min
Congestion ratio6.1%
Drivers’ average age54.9 yrs
Drivers’ average income$77,935

Local roads carry only a small share of the traffic in Powell County, Montana, 12% of all vehicle-miles. The average non-highway road carries 1,620 vehicles per day.

Local roads make up 36% of the monitored road miles (66 miles in 369 segments) but carry less than their share of travel: 69,659 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈25.4 million per year). About 1 in 9 vehicles on non-highway roads is a truck (11.0%).

Drivers from higher-income areas than 84% of counties in Montana

Non-highway roads carry a truck concentration that's 49% lower than the highway network.

Non-highway congestion (6.1%) runs 49% lower than the state average, pointing to smoother local traffic flow.

Powell's average driver income is higher than 84% of counties in Montana. 56% of counties in Montana have an older driver population than Powell.

Time-of-Day & Seasonal Patterns

Data Finding: Hourly & Seasonal Patterns

In Powell County, Montana, the peak hour concentrates about 7% of the day's traffic.

Powell County vs. Montana Traffic Comparison

The truck share sets Powell County apart: 72% above the Montana average. Its average daily traffic per road, by contrast, is 45% below.

MetricPowell CountyMontana averageDifference
Traffic2,3274,202-44.6%
Truck % (Total Traffic)20.1%11.7%+72.5%
Truck % (Highway)21.4%15.0%+42.6%
Avg. Travel Time42.1 min36.2 min+16.5%

How Powell County compares

Powell County against nearby counties

Compared with its 4 closest neighbours, Powell County is 43.4% less congested and carries 48.3% less traffic on a typical road; it has the fourth busiest roads of the five. Freight passes through here that never reaches the areas around it: the truck share is high precisely because the local car traffic is not.

Powell County and the 4 nearest county-level areas by centroid distance, with the Montana average for scale.
AreaAverage daily trafficTruck shareDaily vehicle-milesAverage travel timeCongestion ratio
Powell County2,32720.1%584,98442.1 min6.7%
Lewis and Clark County, Montana4,9428.1%1,349,80044.2 min15.0%
Missoula County, Montana7,2769.8%2,532,44735.0 min16.8%
Granite County, Montana1,47919.0%486,49929.9 min5.1%
Lake County, Montana4,3079.1%875,23739.6 min10.6%
Montana average4,20211.7%N/A36.2 min12.3%

Powell County ranked within Montana

Powell County sits in the top quarter of the Montana field on truck share on highways, at #4 of 47.

Powell County ranked among 56 county-level areas in Montana (1 = highest); measures without data in every county rank a smaller field, down to 47.
MeasurePowell CountyMontana rank
Traffic volume (AADT)2,327#16 of 56
Highway vehicle-miles per day515,325#10 of 47
Truck share on highways21.4%#4 of 47
Highway trucks per day748#8 of 47
Average travel time42.1 min#20 of 56
Average driver income$74,572#10 of 56
Average driver age50.1 yrs#32 of 56

Busiest roads in Powell County, Montana

The top three roads on this list in Powell County average 6,172 vehicles a day, 2.7 times the county average of 2,327 across all its monitored roads.

I 90 tops the list with 10,633 vehicles a day, 2,422 of them trucks (22.8%). That is 2.3 times the next road, Main Street (4,533). It tops the truck ranking too, with the most trucks on the list.

Trips using US 12 are long: a median of 69.7 minutes against 42.1 county-wide, the mark of a through route.

North Interchange is busy with cars rather than freight: only 6.7% of its traffic is trucks, against 20.1% county-wide.

Ranked by daily traffic (AADT)

Only named roads are listed. Some unnamed segments, such as ramps or unlabeled carriageways, may carry as much traffic as the roads shown.

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1I 90Motorway · 10,633vehicles2,422trucks · 22.8%
Road class
Motorway
Congestion ratio
12.3%
Median trip time
61.3 min
Drivers’ median age
45.8 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$70,948

On its busiest stretch, I 90 carries 4.6 times the county average; trucks are 22.8% of it, above the county-wide 20.1%.

2Main StreetPrimary road · 4,533vehicles424trucks · 9.3%
Road class
Primary road
Congestion ratio
6.3%
Median trip time
25.5 min
Drivers’ median age
55.1 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$71,050

Trips on Main Street are short, a median 25.5 minutes against 42.1 county-wide, so it mostly serves local errands and commutes.

3North InterchangePrimary road · 3,350vehicles223trucks · 6.7%
Road class
Primary road
Congestion ratio
9.4%
Median trip time
22.8 min
Drivers’ median age
53.9 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$68,895

North Interchange is a local road at heart: the median trip using it lasts 22.8 minutes, against 42.1 for the county.

4US 12Trunk road · 3,195vehicles433trucks · 13.6%
Road class
Trunk road
Congestion ratio
6.6%
Median trip time
69.7 min
Drivers’ median age
48.9 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$74,713

US 12 is busy by local standards, at 37% more than the county average on its busiest stretch; trucks are 13.6% of it, below the county-wide 20.1%.

5Frontage RoadPrimary road · 2,317vehicles290trucks · 12.5%
Road class
Primary road
Congestion ratio
5.2%
Median trip time
26.2 min
Drivers’ median age
49.4 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$82,260

Frontage Road is a quieter road: its busiest stretch carries about the same as the county average; trucks are 12.5% of it, below the county-wide 20.1%.

Ranked by trucks per day

Only named roads are listed. Some unnamed segments, such as ramps or unlabeled carriageways, may carry as much traffic as the roads shown.

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1I 90Motorway · #1 by traffic10,633vehicles2,422trucks · 22.8%
2US 12Trunk road · #4 by traffic3,195vehicles433trucks · 13.6%
3Main StreetPrimary road · #2 by traffic4,533vehicles424trucks · 9.3%
4Frontage RoadPrimary road · #5 by traffic2,317vehicles290trucks · 12.5%
5North InterchangePrimary road · #3 by traffic3,350vehicles223trucks · 6.7%
How to read these road counts
  • The first number is AADT, annual average daily traffic: the vehicles passing a point on an average day, both directions combined and trucks included. On a divided highway both carriageways are added together.
  • Traffic changes along a road, with more near interchanges and towns and less in open country. Every figure for a road describes its busiest stretch in the county, so the two rankings show the same numbers for the same road.
  • The second number is the trucks on that stretch, a part of its AADT. The bar splits the AADT into cars and light vehicles (blue) and trucks (amber).
  • See segment-level AADT for any road on TrafficZoom.

Data Sources & Methodology

The data presented on this page is derived from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform, which aggregates and normalizes information from multiple sources, including:

Mobile device location data (anonymized and aggregated)

Road sensor networks and traffic counters

Historical traffic pattern databases

Public traffic count programs published by the

PowellDepartment of Transportation

Demographic Baseline for O-D Modeling

U.S. Census Bureau
All metrics represent estimates based on statistical modeling and are intended for strategic planning purposes.
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Data current as of:
Q3 2026

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Counties near Powell County

The same traffic breakdown for the areas closest to Powell County, Montana.

Need segment-level traffic data?

Identify traffic patterns street by street and analyze the exact corridors that matter to your project.