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MDT says planning work is under way on bridge package; offers to help Treasure County apply for MSAP planning grant
Summary
Adam, a Montana Department of Transportation representative, briefed Treasure County commissioners on an MDT package of bridge projects and offered to prepare and submit a planning (MSAP) grant application on the county's behalf; he said state and grant-match rules have changed and estimated county planning-match exposure at roughly 20% (~$6,000) for a typical planning grant.
Adam, speaking for the Montana Department of Transportation, told the Treasure County Commission on Oct. 21 that MDT has put multiple local bridge projects into a single RFP package for design and expects to select design firms in the coming months.
"What MDT has done is they actually took those bridges and put them out for RFP," Adam said, explaining MDT's approach to packaging smaller bridge projects to attract design firms through the state's MVP process. He said firms will be selected over the next month or two and that design work will then begin.
Adam also told commissioners about MSAP planning grants (state coal-endowment and Department of Commerce programs previously used by counties): "The way the cycle works ... it's my understanding that they changed that around to where it's a 20/80 match, meaning you guys cover 20% of the cost, then the Department of Commerce covers 80%." He described the planning grant as the preliminary engineering work (a PER) used to develop a construction funding application, and estimated the county's out-of-pocket planning match would typically be in the low thousands (Adam estimated roughly $6,000 as a ballpark figure for a planning grant).
Commissioners discussed candidate bridges the county would prioritize (including a Pump House Bridge they said benefits the town of Hysham and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks). Adam warned that construction funding and timelines remain in MDT's control and could be a multi-year process, but he offered that MDT could prepare the planning grant materials for the county at no upfront charge and then assist in pursuing construction funding if the PER shows the project is competitive.
Commissioners voted to proceed with the planning grant application process and asked staff to follow up with Adam and MDT about next steps and potential matching requirements.
