City gets $10 million for big streets project

While cities across the region have seen funding for federal projects frozen, Columbia Falls was recently awarded a $10 million federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity Grant.

The city was first notified that it would receive the grant back in 2022 when Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, supported the bipartisan infrastructure law under then-President Joe Biden.

Tester was the only Montana lawmaker at the time to vote in favor of the funds.

Since then, the project has undergone planning and engineering and the city matched the grant with $500,000 of its own monies.

With the federal funding being released under the Trump Administration, the project, will rebuild 13th Street West, Fourth Avenue West and Seventh Street West, as well as new sidewalks, walking paths, water lines and curb and gutter.

City manager Eric Hanks told council last week that the project will now go out to bid with construction slated to begin in March.

The project dovetails into more street improvements to roads that serve Nucleus Avenue. Knife River was recently awarded a $700,000 contract to do that work on several streets.

In addition, a sidewalk along Railroad Street is also slated for construction in 2026.

In other city news:

Council learned that city finance director Jessica Rice has taken another position and has resigned her post. Rice had worked for the city for about a year now.

Mayor Don Barnhart recognized outgoing councilmembers Jenny Lovering and Mike Shepard. Lovering served on council for 12 years and Shepard for 30. They were both given plaques of appreciation.