Transportation
My Work for Montana's Transportation: Highways, Railways and Aviation
Keeping Montana in the Highway Bill
In helping write the Safe, Affordable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) in 2005, I played a major role in developing America’s surface transportation policy. I was able to secure approximately $230 million per year over five years for Montana by working with colleagues from both political parties to ensure economic security through highway building, freight movements and road safety.
In addition to funding Montana’s broad needs and taking into account Montana Department of Transportation determinations, the bill provided funding for a number of vital projects. Those projects include US 93, Taylor Hill Road, Shiloh Road, the Kalispell Bypass, US Corridor 2, the East Belgrade Interchange, the Great Falls South Arterial, the Russell Street bridge expansion in Missoula, the I-15 North Interchange, the St. Mary water project bridge, Going-to-the-Sun Road, the Beartooth Highway, US 287, MT 16 near Glendive, Bus and Bus-related Facilities statewide, and a host of other projects too numerous to mention here. Recently, I once again worked my Senate colleagues and members of the House of Representatives to update that 2005 bill with new legislation to benefit the Ekalaka to Alzada road in Carter County, among other things.
Keeping Our Small Airports Open
This Congress, through my position as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I am leading legislation to modernize the nation's airports and our aviation network. As always, I continue to fight to ensure significant funding for Essential Air Service (EAS) airlines that serve rural communities across the country and in Montana in Glasgow, Glendive, Havre, Lewistown, Miles City, Sidney, and Wolf Point. Although we in Montana have witnessed our long-time EAS provider’s decision to cease all flight operations across the country, I am pleased to note that the new provider, Great Lakes Aviation, has assured my office that it will take up the service out of Sidney and Lewistown as of early September. Further, Great Lakes will hopefully be able to restore service in the other airports this Fall.
Finally, despite Transportation Security Administration foot-dragging, I have fought to get Montana’s EAS airports the security they deserve in the wake of 9/11; the new security protection will begin in Sidney and Lewistown in September.
Keeping our Railways Open
Keeping Amtrak in Montana is an issue that's very important to me. I'll continue to work together to ensure that Amtrak receives the assistance it needs to keep the Empire Builder running. Last year, I cosponsored a bill to increase Amtrak funding by 67%. That bill passed the Senate and now must be reconciled with a House of Representatives’ bill, which would also dramatically increase Amtrak funding. I’m very pleased to note that the Senate’s bill also includes an amendment offered by my friend, Senator Jon Tester, to study restoring Amtrak service along the southern route, which I supported. Further, I continue to work to ensure that our agricultural and mineral shippers can get fair rail rates for transportation, while I’m also pushing legislation to provide tax credits for short-line and Class 1 railroads in order to encourage construction and reduce rail congestion.
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