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Cascade County secures extension for $750,000 Coal Endowment grant for Armington Bridge project
Summary
Commission staff said the Montana Coal Endowment Program extended the county's $750,000 grant for the Armington Bridge replacement to March 31, 2028; staff described permits (including Burlington Northern easement) and rising cost estimates from $1.6 million to $2.4 million and said $2.8 million is reserved.
Cascade County staff told commissioners that the Montana Coal Endowment Program (MCEP) granted an extension to carry over a previously awarded $750,000 toward the Armington Bridge replacement project to March 31, 2028.
County staff said the project has been delayed by permitting issues, including outstanding easements with Burlington Northern, and that the extension was necessary because the original grant deadline would not be met. The county originally estimated construction costs at about $1.6 million but now estimates the project cost at $2.4 million due to inflation and permitting delays; staff said the county has $2.8 million reserved for the project.
Staff described next steps as securing the final Burlington Northern easement and proceeding with the project schedule once permits are in hand. Staff also told commissioners an additional $500,000 could be set aside as an urgency precaution but did not record a formal decision on that reserve during the work session.
The item was presented so commissioners would be prepared to sign an updated DocuSign contract once the state produced a corrected document listing all commissioners. No formal vote was recorded in the work session; staff said the substance of the agreement is unchanged and the extension preserves the county's $750,000 award for the Armington Bridge project.
