In the Flathead for a jobs tour, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont, attended a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday afternoon for the Flathead County Rail Park taking shape along Whitefish Stage Road just outside Kalispell.

The Flathead County Economic Development Authority bought the former McElroy & Wilken gravel pit in February using money awarded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

The economic development authority is now recruiting an engineering firm to help develop the 40-acre property into a rail-served industrial park.

“There’s been so much support for this project ... We’re just really eager to keep moving forward,” said Kellie Danielson, president of the development authority.

The project has been in the works for years.

Baucus helped secure $1.147 million to buy the land, awarded through the Community Trade Adjustment Assistance Program in September 2010.

With unemployment still too high in Northwest Montana, an industrial park makes sense to help locate businesses and jobs, Baucus said.

“The ideas you come up with make the difference,” he said. “You know what you need, let us know what we can do to help make it happen.”  

Earlier Thursday, Baucus held a highway jobs roundtable discussion at the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce.

Baucus is one of 14 senators appointed to a bipartisan conference committee that will try to negotiate a highway bill compromise between the House and Senate.

This morning, Baucus will be in Whitefish to announce an upcoming trade mission. He then will spend the afternoon working at Tamarack Brewing Co. in Lakeside.

Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.