Congressman Zinke Secures Million Dollar Grant for Ravalli County

HAMILTON, MT - Today, western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke joined Ravalli County Commissioners and local stakeholders for a ceremonial check presentation to celebrate the awarding of a one-million-dollar grant to fund repairs to Rickets Road, also known as Old Highway 93, in the Bitterroot Valley.

This project will make improvements to 2.55 miles of Ricketts Road which has not been resurfaced in 25 years. Repairs and improvements will address significant roadway decay and install drainage and irrigation culverts under the road to prevent further damage and flooding. Ravalli County features a central valley surrounded by steep mountainous Wilderness Areas, limiting the available roadways for a rapidly growing rural county. Ricketts Rd. provides one of the few critical alternative travel routes from US Highway 93 for local residents, commerce, and emergency services. Residents in the community and local businesses have expressed their concerns regarding increases in traffic and safety.

“Infrastructure is not merely an expense, it’s an investment and the way the Bitterroot Valley is growing in population and commerce we need to be making more of those investments like in Ricketts Road,” said Rep. Zinke. “The Bitterroot is growing at one of the fastest paces in all of Montana and the stress on the infrastructure is obvious. What was once a sleepy county road is now a major thoroughfare carrying literal tons of goods and hundreds of cars a day – All on nearly 30-year-old pavement. I appreciate County Commissioners Chilcot and Huls for bringing this project to my attention and working with my team to secure the necessary funding.” 

Greg Chilcot, Ravalli County Commissioner said, “Many thanks to Congressman Zinke for bringing these requests full circle. Our County is a great place to live, and we appreciate Congressman Zinke for helping us keep it that way.”

Ravalli County made the request to Zinke’s office through the U.S. House of Representatives Community Project Funding policy which allows Members of the House to propose up to 15 local projects to receive funding from eligible grant programs. All projects must meet the published grant requirements and pass a series of legislative hurdles. Every project was approved by the House Appropriations Committee, of which Zinke is a member, the full House of Representatives and included in the joint funding package approved by the House and Senate and signed by the President. A full list of Zinke’s projects that were funded can be found here.

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