President Donald Trump signed a spending bill Tuesday that includes $10 million to replace the failing Noxon Bridge in Sanders County.  

U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy and Congressman Ryan Zinke lobbied to include the money in H.R. 7148, Consolidated Appropriations Act, which last month passed the House by a vote of 217 to 214, and Senate by a vote of 71 to 29. 

The bill provides $102.9 billion in discretionary funding, which includes $388 million in defense funds and $102.5 billion in non-defense funding.  The legislation funnels money toward airports, roads, railways and bridges across the country, and includes funding for housing initiatives. 

A slew of other Montana infrastructure projects will benefit from the multi-billion-dollar spending bill. This includes $10 million for the Seeley Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant, $1.15 million to repave Marten Creek Road in Trout Creek, $2.5 million for the Ravalli County Wastewater Treatment Plant, $454,000 for the Rural Airport Reconstruction and Emergency Services expansion, and $1 million each for the North Fork guardrails project in Flathead County, Groff Lane Bridge replacement in Ravalli County and reparation of Old Corvallis Road in Ravalli County.    

A spokesperson for Zinke’s office previously told the Inter Lake the congressman hopes to advocate for additional funding for Noxon Bridge in the next fiscal year.  

With $10 million secured for the Noxon Bridge, Sanders County Commissioner Tony Cox said the replacement project is about halfway funded. This includes nearly $1 million from the Montana Department of Transportation and $4 million of the county’s own money set aside for the project, bringing total funding close to $15 million so far. 

Official estimates to replace the bridge are $35 million, but county commissioners said last week it could come in as low as $30 million.  

Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 758-4439 or [email protected].