Congressman Zinke Announces $10.9 Million in Transportation Funding

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Today, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke announced the allocation of almost $11 million in funding for transportation projects in Glacier, Flathead, Lake and Missoula Counties. The funding is distributed from the U.S. Department of Transportation via the Safe Streets for All program (DOT SS4A). 

“Safety and security should always be the top concerns of elected officials whether it’s national security from foreign threats or the safety of our streets right here at home. I applaud the local leadership for recognizing the both the need and funding opportunity to improve safety within our own communities,” said Congressman Zinke. “I’m eager to get to work as a member of the House Appropriations subcommittee on Transportation and Housing to ensure Montana’s projects are not overseen and that our district’s unique needs and priorities are met.” 

Grant details are below: 

Recipient: Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation

Amount: $797,105

Purpose: The award will be used by the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation to develop a comprehensive safety action plan. Blackfeet Safe Streets and Roads for All: A Community Safe Systems Approach to Improve the Safety, Health, Economy, and Environment of the Blackfeet Nation

Recipient: Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes

Amount: $368,000

Purpose: The award will be used by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to develop a comprehensive safety action plan.

Recipient: City of Kalispell 

Amount: $520,000

Purpose: The award will be used by the City of Kalispell to develop a comprehensive safety action plan.

Recipient: City of Missoula 

Amount: $9,311,254.08

Purpose: The City of Missoula, Montana, seeks to enhance safety, improve accessibility, and provide equitable transportation along a corridor that serves both City and County residents. The project will implement multiple safety improvements on a 2-mile segment along South Ave. and a 0.25-mile segment along Clements Road. The crash rates for the two project locations are more than 8 to 10 times higher than the County average. Both streets are minor arterials, and the project area connects a rural Missoula County neighborhood to the center of the City by way of a 156-acre regional park and a large hospital and medical campus. The project will build separated bicycle lanes and sidewalks, as well as extend and widen the existing shared-use path to better serve the schools, regional park, and other facilities. The project will improve safety and increase accessibility for transit riders by establishing well-designed, ADA-compliant bus stops that are connected to the sidewalk network. The project will create Complete Streets connections for all users from the destinations along the corridor to services like grocery, retail, restaurants, shopping malls, parks, schools, and other services just east of the project area.

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