HomeMy WebLinkAboutNewsline September 2010 S
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www.mdt.mt.gov
Newsletter of the Montana Department of Transportation Rail, Transit & Planning Division
US Transportation Secretary LaHood Meets
with Reps from Rural States
Surface Transportation Reauthorization Outreach meeting held in
Bismarck, North Dakota, in June.
The meeting was one of six held across the country by U.S.
Department of asprti help shape policy for surface
transportation programs Trn o ahead aton of to the next federal transportation
funding bill, and the only session held in a rural part of the coun-
try. The meeting provided a forum for Secretary LaHood and
1 several of his top ranking staff to leam about rural transportation
issues. Director Lynch and his counterparts had the opportunity
i to discuss the importance to the country of a strong federal invest-
ment in transportation for rural states.
The focus of Director Lynch's testimony was on the impor-
tance of rural transportation for connectivity and the economic
vitality of the country. "The U.S. transportation system isn't just
MDT Director Jim Lynch speaks before U.S. Secretary of Transportation about moving commuters and containers," Lynch stated. "It's
Ray LaHood about rural America's transportation needs. Seated left to
right are: North Dakota Transportation Director Francis Ziegler, South also about moving cows and commodities, and connecting our
Dakota Secretary Darin Bergquist, and Wyoming Transportation Director communities sometimes over long distances." Director Lynch
Jon Cox. went onto state that federal -aid roads beyond the National High-
way System (NHS) are essential to agriculture and resource in-
/(� DT Director Jim Lynch, along with South Dakota dustries. The smaller systems that feed into the Interstate and
��/� Secretary Darin Bergquist and Directors Francis Ziegler, NHS must be maintained to provide connectivity to other modes
North Dakota and John Cox, Wyoming, delivered statements and markets. He said, "Agriculture is Montana's largest industry,
before U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood concerning generating more than $2.4 billion annually." He also spoke
the needs of rural states. The panel discussion took place at a briefly on tourism, aging infrastructure, and safety.
(Continued on next page)
Surface Transportation Program Reauthorization
" i i A The federal surface transportation bill (SAFETEA -LU) expired September 30, 2009. Since then, states have
been operating under short-term program extensions provided through Congress. The current extension
. r ,... carries the federal transportation program through December 31, 2010. For the federal program to continue
beyond December, Congress must pass either a Long -term bill or another program extension. A long -term
bill anytime soon is unlikely as no formal legislation has been proposed, and the draft bills circulating in Congressional
committees haven't addressed how to fund the program. Funding aside, the drafts that have circulated aren't good for
Montana or other rural states. For instance, the draft program proposed by Congressman James Oberstar from Minnesota
includes a number of provisions that are detrimental.to rural state programs and adds considerable funding for new
programs targeted at the nation's population centers. Under this draft bill, Montana and other rural states would not be
eligible to participate in $75 billion in new programs over the next six years, which target metropolitan areas with
populations of 500,000 or greater and large projects of national significance. With a total six -year increase in the draft
legislation of $110 billion, specifically exempting rural states from nearly 70 percent of those funds is a clear indication
that rural transportation needs are not being considered. Fortunately, Senator Baucus is a senior member of the commit-
tee responsible for writing the nation's highway bill. MDT will continue to work hard and support our Congressional
delegation in ensuring Montana's interests are protected.
(LaHood continued from previous page) Watch for Montana's
All presenters stressed the importance of protecting and
adequately funding programs for transportation investment in Passenger Rail Service
rural states, proportional growth in the highway and transit
programs, and continued flexibility for states, not the federal Update
government, to identify transportation needs and select projects
within their states.
Additional testimony was provided by tribal officials from >:, ¢ ; _ 1; ,- ` ' - .
four states; business and industry representatives; transit , 1 , „ . ; ,2 -,;
o and city, county, and township officials. The overall - :- - 'i
message was well received, with one USDOT representative
commenting the information was "an eye opener," as their focus
on transportation is often only related to moving people in urban
areas. _ `
Secretary LaHood provided a short statement on the
complexity of reauthorization and thanked those who participated
in the meeting. Pr he Passenger Rail Service chapter of the 2010 Rail Plan has
1. been significantly updated from the draft published in 2009
and is the final piece of MDT's update to the Montana Rail Plan.
This section includes an analysis of passenger rail service along a
southern route in Montana, reflecting new information from
MDT Provides Cell
technical documents prepared for Montana by Amtrak.
The entire rail plan update is available on MDT's Web site.
Pho ne Pull-outs Comments on other sections of the draft rail plan have been
completed, but "Chapter 4 - Passenger Rail Service" will soon be
available for public review and comment at http: / /www.mdt.mt.
M ost people know gov /pubinvolve/railplan/. Please use the link to the comment
the risks involved section on the Web site to give your input on this chapter.
with chatting on a cell Completion of this segment of the rail plan finalizes an effort
phone and texting while to update the rail plan to provide current rail system information,
driving, but many motor- while also looking at recent state and federal rail planning require-
- - - - i Li L L 0 L f ists can't resist the urge to ments.
b 4 MILE use cell hones while
P Major elements of the rail plan include:
„- driving a vehicle. It's • Montana rail competition
easy to tell people to give • Intermodal service
�': their full attention to driv- • State freight trends
ing a vehicle, MDT is • Coal transport
taking action to make it • Passenger rail service – Amtrak Empire Builder route
...> ” easier to comply.
• Analysis of passenger rail along the southern route
To facilitate cell
phone use in a safe way, • Lines at risk for abandonment
MDT is posting signs on turnouts with cell MDT has begun posting • Grain facility consolidation impact analysis
phone coverage. For additional information on the rail plan, contact MDT's
signs on existing high-
P ,
way turnouts where cell phone service is available. Rail, Transit and Planning Division at 444 -3423, or visit our Web
The signs currently in place are in western Montana and will site at www.mdt.mt.gov.
be expanded across the state. A total of 18 turnouts are signed on
US -2 east of Kalispell, MT -83, US -93 between Polson and Kalis- i
pell, US -93 south of Missoula, and MT -200 east of Lincoln. The Electronic Newsline is
signs read, "Cell phone pull out'' /4 mile."
Posting signs at the turnouts comes at little cost and has a big Available — Sign up Now!
potential for reducing crashes and saving lives. The turnouts
already exist — MDT crews just need to verify cell coverage,
make the signs, and install them. F r he Newsline is available electronically for your conven-
Using cell phones and texting now are a way of life. Making A. ience. If you wish to receive it electronically, simply send
a habit of not using them while driving should be a way of life your e-mail address to Newsline Editor Sandra Waddell at
also. swaddell @mt.gov, phone her at 444 -7614, or drop a note to her
If you have a favorite highway turnout location with cell attention at PO Box 201001, Helena, MT 59620 -1001.
coverage and you would like a sign installed, contact Duane All other changes such as address updates and name
Williams at duwilliams @mt.gov or by phone at 444 -7312. changes are also welcome any time.
2
Emergency Medical Services Grant Program Enters
Second Round of Funding
DT Director Jim Lynch acquiring or leasing ambulances or emergency response vehicles,
IV a announced that applications training, communication equipment, and medical care equipment.
c
are available for the second install- Emergency medical service providers are eligible for this program
ment of MDT's Emergency Medical if they meet the following criteria: provi
Service (EMS) Provider Grant • They have been in operation at least 12 months.
Program. Submittal deadline is • bill for services at a level that is at least equivalent to
September 17, 2010. All licensed Medicare billing.
1 EMS providers in Montana have • The majority of active emergency medical technicians are
received notification of the grant volunteers.
deadline and application availability. The first round of grant funding for state fiscal year 2010 has
Applications are available on MDT's been awarded and items distributed to grantees. Over half of the
Web site at www.mdt.mtgov. Applicants can submit their infor- applicants received full funding for all eligible items requested,
mation electronically, or mail a paper copy to the MDT Rail, which included eight ambulances, nine cots, one extraction
Transit and Planning Division. spreader (jaws of life), five training manikins, and other life
Many emergency medical service providers in Montana have saving equipment.
difficulty making ends meet due to economic and demographic For a hard copy of the application or more information,
circumstances. The purpose of this program is to provide contact MDT's Rail, Transit and Planning Division at 444 -3423,
competitive grants to emergency medical se providers for or visit our Web site at www.mdt.mt.gov.
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Trans Facility'Construction is in Full Swing
ir ransit facility construction using Montana's Federal Transit American Recovery and Reinvestment; Act (ARRA) funds is in full
swing. MDT is helping five agencies build new facilities. Seven others have completed design and are close to selecting prime
contractors for their projects. Following is a status report: ,
• Hamilton — The Bitterroot Bus facility heater was the first ARRA transit project completed in Montana.
• Kalispell — Eagle Transit built a $900,000 facility, which was completed in August. The Kalispell facility allows for increased
vehicle storage and a wash bay, along with a vehicle hoist in another on -site building.
• Helena — All the walls are erected for a new transit facility as work begins to move inside. The $3 million structure includes
several "green" features. It will be a full- service facility housing transit staff and vehicles.
• Butte — Builders recently broke ground for a $500,000 vehicle storage garage. Butte also has funding to restore the driveway at
the Harrison Street/Civic Center transfer center.
• Bozeman — The walls have been erected on the Galavan facility, and the inside work has begun. The $1.2 million project will
include offices, storage, and maintenance space.
• Chester — The Liberty County Transit facility broke ground recently. Chester is using $350,000 to build bus storage and an
office.
• Sidney — Richland County Transportation selected a prime contractor to build two bus ports at a cost of $195,000.
• West Yellowstone — West Yellowstone Foundation has completed design for construction of a one -stall garage.
• Browning — Blackfeet Transit will be upgrading its existing t,
facility at a cost of $117,000 with a design/build contract. L ry '
• Pablo — CS &KT Transit will spend $196,000 to put in an f
underground fuel storage tank and construct passenger
shelters.
• Big Sky — Skyline is erecting six passenger shelters with
$52,800.
• Shelby — Northern Transit Interlocal and Toole County
Transit has $500,000 to renovate a building to create office
space and house vehicles.
• Broadus — Powder River Transportation is in the process ft '- - :� , ' „. of selecting a prime contractor and will spend $300,000 to e w � :, . "
construct a bus storage facility.
Eagle Transit facility in Kalispell was completed in August.
3
(Transit Tales continued from previous page)
Safe Routes to School Program Awards Funds
4 ontana's Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program awarded Dillon on July 26 and 27. Several communities applied for and
IVI over $1.8 million to 22 communities and schools in received the curriculum training for fiscal ye 2011. JFH is a
Montana for infrastructure and non - infrastructure projects for Bitterroot non - profit organization with the mission of perpetuat-
fiscal year 2011. ing the Montana Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety curriculum within
Infrastructure projects consist mostly of new sidewalk Montana schools.
installations making travel to and from school safer, easier, and This is the fifth and last year of the initial SRTS mandate
cleaner for biking and walking. A few new bike rack pads will be from Congress. The Montana SRTS implementation team made
installed as well. every effort to allocate all available funds to this year's appli-
Non- infrastructure projects will support a range of activities cants.
such as walking school buses, bike trains, year -long bike /ped With continued funding, Montana SRTS will again accept
programs, teacher bike /ped curriculum training, an d bike rodeos. applications no later than December 31, 2010. The application is
In the photographs below, Montana teachers and community available at http: //www.mdt.mt.gov /pubinvolve /saferoutes /.
members are introduced to the "Journeys from Home" (JFH) Anyone interested in SRTS should contact Montana's SRTS
pedestrian/ bicycle safety training curriculum for kindergarten coordinator, Taylor Lonsdale of the Western Transportation
through fifth grade. This training was held at UM- Western in Institute, at taylor.lonsdale@coe.montana.edu or by phone at
994 -7031.
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Montana teachers and community members are introduced to the `Journey from Home ped estrian/b safety training curriculum.
International Walk to acceptable and safe. If your family already walks or bikes to
school, then offer to mentor other families that may need a bit
School Day more encouragement.
For other ideas, contact the Montana Safe Routes to School
coordinator (contact information is located at http. //
i nternational Walk to School day is Wednesday, October 6, and www.mdt.mt.gov /pubinvolve /saferoutes /). Sc h ools can register for
people everywhere will be taking part. Parents, teachers, and International Walk to School day at http: / /www.walktoschoo
community members can promote walking school buses (students register /index.cfm. You can see what other Montana schools are
walking in the formation of a bus) and bike trains as good, healthy planning for Walk to School day at http: / /www.walktoschool.org/
activities that can create a sense of community. If you live too far who /seestate. cfm ?st =MT.
fmm school for walking or biking the entire distance, find a safe
and comfortable drop -off point and finish the commute on foot.
rf� ,
Learning safe walking and biking habits, stopping to look at all INTERNATIONAL ki i
moo.,
road crossings, and patiently following the guidance of crossing < . L �,;
guards will increase the students' awareness of their surroundings `� Jo_
and boost their self- confidence and street smarts. .,. , 0_ , ,,„ Ir ..,
Find a way to help reduce traffic congestion around your `� � _
school this fa Talk to school staff, the local parent/teacher a$
and V. , ; • z
group, d neighbors about ways to make walking and biking ti . a� ,,.
4
Do Your Part to Prevent Yellowstone Airport
Storm Water Pollution Happenings
s the 2010
summer season
kicked off, there was
much activity
surrounding the
�,, Yellowstone airport
a. including the opening
1 of the Smoke Jumper
Cafe and the instal - il
merit of enhanced
World War II T - 6 Texan flown by Sean taxiway markings.
S torm water runoff occprs when precipitation from rain or Bagley of the Legacy Flight Museum.
The Smoke
snowmelt flows over the ground. This water is not piped to a Jumper Cafe opened
treatment facility like wastewater. Storm water can pick up in early June and can be checked out on either www.airnay.com or
debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants, which also flow into on the airport's new Web page www.yellowstoneairport. org.
the storm drain system and discharge, untreated, to nearby water- Enhanced taxiway markings are part of the Federal Aviation
ways. These pollutants can harm the waterways, discouraging Administration's safety objectives to reduce the risks of aircraft
recreational use, contaminating drinking water supplies, and incursions on movement areas. The enhancements at Yellow -
interfering with the habitat for fish, other aquatic organisms, and stone Airport include enhanced taxiway centerline markings and
wildlife. hold position markings at every entrance to runway 1 -19. The
Here are some simple tips you can use to protect and improve markings are to help guide pilots and increase pilot awareness
water quality in your area: especially in non - optimal weather conditions.
• Never throw trash or litter on the,ground or out the window June 22 marked the 75 anniversary of air service to the
of a car or truck. Set an example, for others by not littering, community of West Yellowstone. In commemoration, the
and always carry a litter bag in your car. Yellowstone Historic Center's Wings Into the West exhibit was
• Fertilize: established lawns with phpsphorous -free fertihzoi- opened - _Tune 11 in downtown Vest Yellowstone at the museum
and don't overspray fertilizer into the street. Use the appro- located m the historic Union Pacific Depot. The following day,
priate amount of water on your lawn. the airport, in collaboration with Yellowstone Aviation, put on a
• Use dry methods to clean your driveways and sidewalks. successful fly -in and open house. Aviation enthusiasts enjoyed
• Rake leaves and sweep grass clippings away from curbs. grilled food, a display of interesting planes, and a three -man air
• When washing your car or truck at home, direct water onto show.
your lawn to soak up soap. Consider using a commercial car A special thanks is in order to Everett Wierda from Manhat-
wash. They use less water than hand washing, and the waste- tan, Bob and Linda Marshall from Belgrade, and Sean Bagley
water generated is treated rather than discharged to the storm from the Legacy Flight Museum Rexburg, Idaho for bringing
water system. their vintage aircraft and putting on the great air show, which
• Properly dispose of items such as paint, used oil, and other consisted of two World War II T-6 Texans and a BT -13 flying
chemicals. Never dump these materials down a storm drain formation over the airport. If you are in the area, the museum's
or in an area where they can enter the storm system. exhibit on aviation is extensive and well worth the trip.
• Repair or replace leaky trash cans or dumpsters.
• Direct your home's gutters onto your lawn This way you'll
save on your water bill while preventing storm water impacts. ���
• Clean up after your pets. Pet waste left on the ground can �: .�_;;
wash into the storm water system when it rains and contribute � � �� �� ,��
harmful bacteria, parasites and viruses to waterways.
If you'd like more information on the Municipal Separate
Storm Sewer System (MS4) Program or water quality protection
in general, please check out the following Web site: http:// 4
www. mdt .mt.gov /pubinvolve /stormwater/. This link also provides 1. 1 1 ,1 . --,...'.t_ r . �11,L, . i i2 l t
access to a short storm water survey, the Illicit Discharge and "'
Detection Elimination (IDDE) waste water brochure, MDT Storm
Water, DEQ MS4, and EPA Small Management System Review
Web sites. West Yellowstone airport.
5
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Sanders County High Bridge
T t was a long time coming —more than ten years —but residents
of Sanders County and Thompson Falls were rewarded for
their patience and hard work with the grand opening of the
reconstructed "High Bridge" over the Clark Fork River early this — -
summer. The conversion of the 588- foot -long vehicle bridge to a
bicycle and pedestrian facility provides a convenient connection
to the south side of the river and adds a vital link to the bicycle ,.. _
and pedestrian trail system throughout the Thompson Falls area.
Owned and maintained by the county, the bridge is one of
two steel truss bridges erected in 1911 over the Clark Fork R iver ,. ,_
downstream from the PPL hydroelectric dam in Thompson Falls. High Bridge before rehabilitation.
Until the early 1970s,'the single -lane, timber deck bridge was
used as a vehicle crossing. Advanced deterioration of the wooden = .
deck, railing, and southerly timber spans made the bridge unsafe
and forced its closure. In the late 1990s, the county began the
effort to revive the ailing structure for use as a bicycle - pedestrian
crossing. __ 1
Rehabilitation included repairing the steel truss structure,
i .,..,„ : _ . ,
replacing 7,130 square feet of wood bridge decking and 1,190
lineal feet of bridge rail. State, federal, and private sources - . 1 ,.
funded nearly $700,000 for design and construction, including
some $450,000 in CTEP funds that the county had accumulated High Bridge after rehabilitation.
through the years.
Morrison - Maierle, Inc. of Helena provided the project design CTEP is the Community Transportation Enhancement Program.
and construction management and Wesslen Construction, Inc. of For mo information, contact Mike Wherley at 444 - 4221 or
Spokane was the contractor. mw h e`rl ey@mtgov.
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10 Summer Transportation Institute Program
r r he Sumner Transportation Institute (STI) is an annual Fifteen students participated in the 2010 program at MSU
program held through the Western Transportation Institute from June 13 - 25. They learned about all modes of transportation
(WTI) at Montana State University (MSU). The program is and developed leadership skills while working on team design -
intended to spark interest in transportation careers; aid in the build projects. Topics and activities included road ecology, urban
development of the next generation of engineers, scientists, planning, traffic engineering, geotechnical engineering, concrete
plann and designers; and address the nation's need for a mix designs, bridge design, team design and build competition,
diverse pool of transportation professionals. Tenth, eleventh, and aviation, and traffic safety/human factors. Highlights included
twelfth grade students from a mix of backgrounds and hometowns field trips to MDT headquarters in Helena, Gallatin Field airport,
are recruited. an d two major road redesign projects in Billings. In addition, the
A grant from the Federal Highway Administration, in -kind participants learned about college preparation and career
and cash contributions from MDT, MSU, WTI, and private and planning- During the evenings and weekend, STI students
non -profit sponsors cover program expenses. Students pay for participated in educational, sport, and team - building activities.
their own travel to and from MSU; however, some travel grants More information about the STI program can be found at
are awarded on a needs basis. http: //www.mdt.mt.gov/ research /projects /admin /summer.shtml.
Students live on campus while learning about career opportu- STI program and application information is available on
'lilies in transportation. The two -week program provides a WTI's Web site at http: / /www.wti.montana.edu /education/
multi- disciplinary academic curriculum, which includes guest summertransportationinstitute/.
speaker presentations, hands -on laboratories, and field trips.
6
Wild West Rest Areas and Beyond
By Jon Axline, MDT Historian
T aking a break by the side of the road is as old as traveling approach and exit lanes for them, but the state was responsible for
itself. In the American West, rest areas consisted simply of the design and construction of the facilities. In November 1963,
wherever you stopped and got down off your horse. Sometimes it the Montana Chapter of the American Institute of Architects
meant getting out of a stagecoach and stretching your legs for a (AIA) submitted a proposal to the highway commissioners to
bit at a stage station. With the arrival of the automobile in the custom design a minimum of two new rest areas that would
early twentieth century, however, things became a little more employ "forms and materials truly indigenous to Montana." The
complicated. You could still pull over and do what you needed to Montana AIA's proposal followed a nationwide trend to create
do and, for some, that meant throwing out a couple of sleeping SRAs that were reflective of the environment and history of the
bags and spending the night within a few yards of the highway. areas where they were located. There would be no uniformity of
Local businesses encouraged motorists to stop in their communi- design as was represented by the Interstate highways. Instead, the
ties and take advantage of the services they had to offer, but stops "design and materials fitting to our scenery would enhance the
in rural areas were still left to the whims of the drivers and their natural beauty of the scenery rather than stand out as obviously
passengers. foreign elements of purely utility value only." The architects
In the early 1930s, the Montana Highway Department devel- proposed individual designs that would use local and native mate -
oped roadside picnic areas where motorists could stop, take a rials, and that would "channel all dollars spent on these rest areas
break, and spend some quality time communing with Montana's right back into the state economy." The highway commissioners
great outdoors. The picnic areas were primitive, consisting only vigorously supported the AIA's proposal, immediately appropriat-
of a couple of picnic tables, a trash receptacle and, maybe, a ing funds to build 20 rest areas across the state, four in each of the
historical marker. In 1934, the highway department took the five administrative districts. The Montana Chapter of the AIA
concept one step further and built its first rest area. Located on functioned in an advisory capacity to the highway department.
North Main Street, then a part of US 91, in Helena across from In January 1964, Lumber Enterprises, Inc. of Bozeman
Memorial Park, it included an information center, drinking foun- submitted the first design for a Montana rest area along Little
tain, picnic tables, and a circular stone parking structure. The rest Prickly Pear Creek about midway through Wolf Creek Canyon on
area was located amid a beautifully landscaped strip park that was I -15. It was not until August 1965 that the highway department
originally intended to screen the city dump from the highway. awarded a contract for the construction of the rest area, the first
This was the only rest area of its kind in Montana during the on Montana's Interstate system. The SRA cost nearly $47,000 to
Great Depression. While the highway department built other build and included all of the amenities recommended by AASHO
roadside beautification areas near urban areas in the state, the and the Montana AIA. The main building at the Lyon's Creek
North Main site was the only one to include amenities for motor- Rest Area was influenced by the spectacular canyon through
ists. Through the 1940s and 1950s, the department continued to which the Interstate passed. It certainly met the criteria estab-
construct and maintain roadside parking areas, but none included lished by the AIA as it presented "Montana to the tourist as the
any features intended to really give travelers a break. progressive state that it is." The rest area served the traveling
In the late 1950s, that all began to change with the develop- public until 1992 when it was closed; it currently functions as a
ment of formal roadside safety rest areas (SRAs) that would be parking area. Other rest areas followed until 16 had been
incorporated into the newly created Interstate highway system. constructed by the time the Interstate highway system in the state
The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, which created the Inter- had been completed in 1985.
state system, included provisions for the inclusion of SRAs into Today, Interstate and primary highway rest areas remain an
Interstate design. Three years later, in 1959, the American Asso- important part of Montana's transportation system. There are
ciation of State Highway Officials (AASHO) published A Policy currently 52 rest areas in the state, including 19 on the Interstates.
on Safety Rest Areas for the National System of Interstate and Many old rest areas have been closed as they were wom out and
Defense Highways. The AASHO guidelines called only for basic new ones opened to best serve motorists. Many of the older rest
amenities at SRAs (bathrooms, picnic tables, trash receptacles, a areas, like at Dearborn on I -15, are undergoing major renovations
drinking fountain, and, perhaps, a telephone booth) and the to make them more appealing and useful to today's needs. Like
configuration of the sites. The federal government initially paid their predecessors, though, each Montana rest area is unique and
for the SRAs under the same formula that funded the Interstates provides motorists with a place to take a break, read an interpre-
and they would be built concurrently with road projects. This tive sign, and view the state's fantastic scenery.
simple idea, however, took on a life of its own as visionaries saw
beyond the basic AASHO guidelines and saw an "opportunity to ° . ,..
reconnect people with the places they were traveling through" and
provide an identifier for the state or region. _ {
The highway department adopted the AASHO policy in 1961 -. { i ' � h ,
and proposed to relocate the old roadside historical markers into
the planned rest areas. The department had been building new ,
I
rest areas along the state's primary two -lane roads. These sites _--
consisted of prefabricated metal buildings that were efficient, but
not very attractive. The federal government funded the acquisi- Dena Mora rest area before. Dena Mora rest area after.
tion of right -of -way for the SRAs and the construction of the (located approximately five miles from the Idaho border)
7
MDT's mission is to serve the public by providing a transportation system and services
that emphasize quality, safety, cost effectiveness, economic vitality and sensitivity to the environment.
MONTANA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pre Sort Standard
Rail, Transit & Planning Division U.S. Postage
Montana Department of Transportation PAID
2701 Prospect Avenue Helena, MT
P.O. Box 201001
.Permit No. 141
Helena, Montana 59620 -1001
HONORABLE KENNETH E OLSON JR V
OR POSTAL CUSTOMER
MAYOR OF LAUREL SEP 2 1 2010 .J
CITY OF LAUREL
PO BOX 10
LAUREL MT 59044 -0010 CITY OF LAUREL
: I I i 1 i ll 1 I 1 Ili lI 1111 bill it l
1 1 1 f E3 iH I }I } i! 11! Hf} Ff {tIyt} i i3
Newsline is a quarterly publication of the Rail, Transit and Planning Division, Montana Department of Transportation.
6200 copies of this public document were published at an estimated cost of $0.49 per copy for a total of $3,009 which includes $948 for printing
and $2,061 for distribution.
=MDT Wantss your Comments Contact =Informataonz
To receive a list of highway prro�ec MDT plans to present to the^ Onl y _the most freqntly requested nmbers: ae here. For ann
Transportation Comm ssion, visit http / / ww wmdf mt.gov/ area or, per son not listed ue call 800 - - 444 , 7 i r n M listed ont only)
ubmvolve' docs trans comm r opossed_proj:pdf, or give usya,; - 406 =444 3 423 T aTTY number is 40 444 -7696 or000 5
p / / /P g"
call at1800 14-7296 Yo can mail your comments on pro - Adm (Lynn Zanto) 5
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oseil projec to MDTat the = following address or e-mail them td`
444 3
Bicyclist/P (Mark Keeffe)
IzantoQmt gov
dtnewprojeets @mt gcw
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MDT Project Analysis Chief Environmental (Tom Martin) mkeef 4 4 t. g
PO %Box- 201001 ` tomartin@mt gov
` Helena MT y Traffic Safety (Priscilla Sinclair) g 7
Highwa
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Inside This Issue orders
4461.9
US Trans Sec. LaHood Meets with R from Rur al States 1, Multmodal Programs (Doug McBroom av 44 @ 4 f 728
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/www mot mt gov /tr
,,; dmcbroom mtgov.
Surface Transportation Progr Reauthonzatlon Projects (Jim Skinner) g
. 444 9233 ,
MDT Provides Cell Phone Pult outs•2 r C t Qv
•..'•.. 1skinne m
Watch for Montana s Passenger Rail Service Update 2 Secondary Roads (Wayne Noern) 444 6108
Electronic Newsline Available. 2 canoe 44 s
EMS Grant Program Enters Second Round of funding 3 Road Data &Mapping (Ed Ereth) 4
'114 Full
TrPlisit Sc ool Pro ram Awar Funds 4 - Traffic Data (B eereth @mtgov
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Storm Wate t A way to School .Day
5 Transit
(Audrey Alltim5}
Storm Water Awareness , r
u e m av
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Yellowstone Airpor t ' Happemngs 5 - Statewide &Urban Planning( Z ia lEaz 444 7252
Sanders County raps Bridge ; B Newsline Ed (Sand m rn ou
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Wild suit-flier Transportation institute Program 6 a Waddell) 444761
Y West Rest Areas a nd Beyond ........... .....7
... ...... ' ... ... ..... .... `....... .. swaddel @mt.gov
MDT attempts to provide accommodations for any known disability that may interfere with a person participating in any service, program, or activity of the Department
Alternative accessible formats of this information will be provided upon request. For further information call (406)444 -3423, TTY (800)335 -7592, or the Montana Relay at 711.
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