Missoula County staff prepare letter asking congressional delegation to secure $24 million for Highway 200 East Missoula project

Missoula County administrators discussed a draft letter at their May 29 administrative meeting asking U.S. representatives Ryan Zinke, Matt Rosendale (referred to in transcript as Danes), and Gary Sheehy (as named in the transcript) to support securing $24,000,000 in Reconnecting Communities grant funding for the Highway 200/East Missoula corridor project.

The draft letter, which county staff said will be brought to the board for signature, asks the congressional delegation to either keep the Reconnecting Communities pilot program fully funded or move the Highway 200 project into another federal program to ensure the funds reach Missoula County and associated partners. "It's pretty detailed, and the ask is to ... keep their reconnecting communities pilot project fully [funded] or move it under another umbrella to ensure that that money does come through," said a staff member involved in drafting the letter.

County presenters said the project is largely prepared from a design and pre‑engineering standpoint and described it as a "shovel-ready" infrastructure project. They warned, however, that the federal Reconnecting Communities program appears to be "under review" or paused at the federal level, which could delay obligation of grant funds and push back a construction timeline. "Even if the green light is glowing bright, ... I would not think that it would be ready to break ground this year," said an attendee during the discussion.

Speakers emphasized that the project is intended to transform East Missoula’s current narrow roadway and expanses of asphalt into a more walkable, connected corridor with curb, gutter, sidewalks, boulevard trees, controlled intersections and crosswalks, which they said could improve safety and encourage economic development, including retail and a grocery store. "Imagine that with curb, gutter, sidewalk, boulevard trees, controlled intersections, stoplights, and crosswalks. All of a sudden it would look like a town," said a staff member.

County staff briefed attendees that the project partners include the city, Missoula County, and the metropolitan planning organization (MPO), and that a project manager (referred to in the meeting) would oversee work if funding is secured. Staff suggested that if the federal Reconnecting Communities program remains paused, the Highway 200 project could be submitted under another federal program that funds transportation infrastructure.

No formal vote or board action on the letter occurred during the administrative meeting; staff said the letter will be placed before the board for signature at a future meeting. County staff also offered to connect officials with technical contacts for more project detail, naming "Shane" and "Chet" as possible project contacts.

The discussion occurred during the county's administrative meeting when staff reviewed consent and direct action items and flagged the East Missoula Corridor funding letter as an item to return for formal board consideration.