Ovando’s population has hovered around 70 residents during the 21st century (71 people according to the 2000 census, and 69 people according to the 2020 census), and 61 of those Ovando citizens signed a petition requesting their area’s speed limit be reduced to 15 miles per hour.
According to Powell County Planning Director Amanda Cooley, this issue has been under discussion “for a long time” within the Ovando community, which sees no shortage of tourist traffic passing through its boundaries, due to its convenient proximity to a number of attractions.
Ovando is but one stop on the Great Divide Trail, a route that follows, as closely as possible, the Continental Divide from Banff, Alberta, to Antelope Wells, N.M.
This means that Ovando also sits at mile 550 of the 2,735-mile long Tour Divide mountain bike race, which again extends from Banff, in Canada, to the Mexican border.
The route enters Montana at Glacier National Park, and meanders south, likewise paralleling the Continental Divide, making Ovando a staple stop for bicycle riders.
“Ovando has a small town
center, with a cluster of historic businesses,” Cooley said. “There have been some locals who admittedly speed in town, but it’s mostly folks who are driving through. It’s not only hazardous, but it also poses a dust issue.”
Cooley was impressed by the Ovando citizenry’s like-mindedness in calling for a solution.
“Some civic issues can prove divisive, but Ovando is already a tight-knit community,” Cooley said. “its people genuinely care about being friendly and welcoming to outsiders. The locally owned Blackfoot Angler and Supplies fly fishing shop has added bike parts to its in-store stock for the racers, and ever since the tragic bear accident from a few years back, everyone wants to make sure the community and its guests stay safe.”
Indeed, Cooley noted that one of the few local residents who didn’t sign the petition was the wife of the town clerk, simply because her honesty compelled her to ruefully admit that she would likely find it challenging to abide by a 15 mile-per-hour speed limit.
“When the signed petition was brought before the Powell County Commissioners on June 6 for discussion, they considered it a reasonable request,” Cooley said. “So now, Ovando will have new digital speed monitoring signs, as well as new school zone signs, because Ovando’s downtown is right next to its school. They’ve been ordered, but not yet installed.”
For further details on Ovando, you can visit its website at ovandomontana.net online.
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