HELENA –The Montana Infrastructure Coalition and its partners are participating in Infrastructure Week, a national advocacy and educational event, with its own May 14-18 tour across Montana.
““National Infrastructure Week provides an opportunity to show off some outstanding public works projects across the state, but also to discuss the challenges local governments face in building and maintaining even their most basic infrastructure,” said Darryl James, executive director of the Montana Infrastructure Coalition. “Every community needs good roads and clean water. The question lies in whether local governments are equipped with the proper funding mechanisms to provide those services and facilities in the most expeditious and cost-effective manner. We’ll be traveling the state all week to learn more about local infrastructure needs, and what tools local communities need from the legislature in 2019.”
The Infrastructure Week tour in Montana will consist of stops in 16 cities across the Treasure State.
Each stop will include a presentation by the Montana Infrastructure Coalition and comments from local leaders about the importance and need for infrastructure improvement. The informational events will be held at locations at which infrastructure projects are underway, have already been completed, or are in need. Projects range from road improvements to water treatment plants.
According to the 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers’ report card, Montana’s infrastructure is approaching a critical state of disrepair and earned a grade of C-. In addition, a 2015 Bureau of Transportation Statistics report, indicated that 45 percent of Montana’s roads need repair.
The tour schedule includes stops in:
May 14
Missoula: 9 a.m., Russell St. bridge (SE corner of Russell and Broadway)
Eureka: 4 p.m., Water plant (Turn right at fire department on Hwy 93, follow to the end of Utility Way to filtration plant)
Havre: 10:30 a.m., Bullhook site (Meet at 520 Fourth St. walk to site)
Wolf Point: 3 p.m., water tanks (6th Ave. North directly across from Faith Lutheran Home. From Hwy 2, go north on 6th Ave. all the way to the top of the hill. The three water tanks are on the left)
May 15
Kalispell: 9:30 a.m., Glacier Village Greens subdivision (community center at 195 W. Nicklaus Ave.)
Great Falls: 3 p.m., Great Falls water plant and lab (Overlook Drive to Upper River Road. First right going south on River Road. Eastside access gate.)
Fairview: 9 a.m., Hwy 200 (Meet at Super Value parking lot)
Glendive: 2 p.m., water plant (420 W. Bell St.)
May 16
Dillon: 11 a.m., Sebree Street (226 South Atlantic St.)
Butte: 2 p.m., Basin Creek water treatment plant (447 Basin Creek Road)
Miles City: 10 a.m., SafetyFestMT (2715 Dickinson St. at Miles City Community College)
Billings: 1:30 p.m., wastewater project (Bench Blvd. behind Target)
May 17
Livingston: 10 a.m., downtown projects (Meet at city hall, 414 E. Callender St.)
Bozeman: 1 p.m., Cottonwood Road between Babcock and Durston (Park on Babcock Street on the northeast side of the intersection of Cottonwood Road and Babcock St.)
Big Sky: 3 p.m., MT Hwy 64 TIGER grant award (Big Sky Town Center-Fire Pit Park at Ousel Falls Road)
May 18
Helena: 2 p.m., West Main project (Meet at the parking lot north of Reeder’s Alley)
Infrastructure Week is organized nationally by its steering committee, including the nation’s largest business, labor, and thought-leadership organizations, and is joined by more than 300 affiliates – from the builders/operators to the users of infrastructure – around the country.
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Infrastructure Week – May 14-21,2018 – is a week-long series of events
raising awareness about why it is time to build better infrastructure
More information about the Montana Infrastructure Coalition can be found here: mtinfrastructure.org
More information about Infrastructure Week can be found at www.InfrastructureWeek.org
