At the end of the regular monthly meeting of the Shepherd School District Board of Trustees on February 18, 2026, trustees discussed the location of the newly placed radar enabled speed limit signs. Purchased by Shepherd Schools and installed last year by Yellowstone County Public Works, the radar enabled speed limit signs flank the school on both sides of Shepherd Road and inform drivers of their vehicle’s speed. The signs also begin flashing if a driver’s vehicle is traveling at speeds over the 35mph limit. At the board meeting trustees discussed if the radar signs would be more effective if they were placed further south and north on Shepherd Road. Being further from the school would provide drivers more time to register the flashing sign, and in turn, slow down posited trustees. Superintendent Drea O’Donnell stated that moving the signs would likely require a request to the county public works department and that she would look into it for the next meeting.
The discussion of the sign comes just a few weeks after a car collision occurred just feet from school grounds at Shepherd Road and Highland Ave. According to Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) Public Relations Specialist Kylie Gibson, the incident that occurred on 2/7/2026 at 2:07pm involved a Ford F150 and a Nissan Altima. The F150 was traveling northbound on Shepherd Road when it attempted to make a left-hand turn, turning in front of the Nissan Altima which then collided with the F150. The two passengers, females aged 57 & 53, and driver, male aged 46, were wearing seatbelts at the time of the collision, while the driver, female aged 44, of the Nissan Altima was not. No passengers were present in the Altima at the time of the incident. According to Superintendent Drea O’Donnell, teachers who have been taught in first aid quickly responded to the scene, calling 911 and attempting to administering aid. Emergency responders from Shepherd Volunteer Fire Department then responded to the scene. The individual was then Life-Flighted to the hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. The MHP fatal crash reports that speed is a suspected factor in the collision.
According to O’Donnell, the Shepherd School Board has been talking about the speed limits for some time, and this incident is not the sole cause of discussing the locations of the radar enabled speed limit signs. O’Donnell stated that the school has not yet contacted the county but expects to have more information or action before the next school board meeting. Additionally, Student Council President Karli Goodell stated that the student council would like to see more … Read rest of story by subscribing here.
