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Yellowstone County approves TIP Amendment No. 4, updates costs and programs for highway and transit projects
Summary
The board approved the Fourth Amendment to the 2020–2024 Transportation Improvement Program, recording cost updates for the Billings Bypass, I‑90 River Bridge and other highway projects and programming federal transit funds — including $6.3 million in transportation alternatives and funds to cover vehicle cost overruns for four electric and four diesel buses.
The Yellowstone County Board of County Commissioners voted April 4 to approve Amendment No. 4 to the county’s 2020–2024 Transportation Improvement Program, forwarding the amendment to the Planning and Community Council (PCC) and the council for further action.
County staff member Scott told commissioners the amendment updates project costs but should not delay timelines for key projects. He cited cost updates for the Billings Bypass — including a railroad overpass — the Johnson Lane interchange, the I‑90 River Bridge projects, the Main Street/First Avenue North intersection and several roundabouts, and said punch-list items remain for some roundabouts.
On the transit side, Rusty, the county’s transit presenter, said federal funding lines were reprogrammed to reflect a higher emphasis on security under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and to fund an updated CAT AVL real‑time bus‑tracking and metrics system. He also said the county is allocating funds to cover cost overruns for vehicles recently ordered, noting “the 4 electric buses and the 4 diesels” and that some vehicle deliveries are about three years delayed.
Scott also said the county added $6,300,000 to the Transportation Alternatives Program, and applications for that program are due April 12. The amendment will next go to the PCC; the PCC meeting was scheduled for April 18 in the same room.
A commissioner moved to approve the amendment; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The board recorded the action as a recommendation to forward the amendment to the PCC for review.
The county will present the amendment to the PCC next week, after which the council will consider final approval.
