A press release sent December 11, 2023 from Jon Tester’s office states that “U.S. Senator Jon Tester secured $3.56 million for street safety improvements in Billings. The funding comes from the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant program through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
 
Tester worked with five Republicans and four Democrats to negotiate the IIJA and was the only member of Montana’s Congressional delegation to vote for the bill.

‘I’m thrilled to hear that Billings will receive these critical dollars to make our community safer, especially for our children,’ said Billings Mayor Bill Cole. ‘These funds will improve roads and sidewalks that our residents need every day. I appreciate Senator Tester working across the aisle so we can accelerate key projects and make Billings safer sooner.’
 
This funding for the City of Billings through the bipartisan infrastructure law will implement safety countermeasures at 11 intersections and 6 corridors in support of a Safe Routes to School initiative. The project will implement intersection safety improvements including high-visibility crosswalks, pedestrian-scale lighting, and enhanced signing; pedestrian, bicyclist, and ADA facilities, including sidewalks and shared-use paths, bicycle facilities, and ADA-compliant ramps; and traffic-calming treatments, including curb extensions and signal upgrades. The Safe Routes to Schools projects will make active transportation to and from Billings schools safer,” reports the press release.

According to the City of Billlings, the Safe Streets for All and Safe Routes to Schools projects move Billings forward in important ways:

• Students attending Highland, Washington, Lewis-Clark, Poly Drive, Miles Avenue, Meadowlark, Parkhill, Big Sky, Central Heights, and McKinley schools will access new bikeways and bike lanes in their neighborhoods.
• Students at Bench will gain important sidewalk connections at Rex Lane and Lola Lane.
  Students at Boulder and Burlington will utilize extended curbs that help reduce the amount of time needed to be in the crosswalk, and slowing traffic. Burlington students will also have access to a shared-use path connection from Arnold Drain to 24th Street W.
• Students at Burlington, Central Heights, Highland, McKinley, Miles Avenue, Orchard, Sandstone, and Washington will utilize high-visibility crosswalks.
• Ponderosa students who use the shared-use path from Ponderosa to Kings Green Drive will benefit from new pedestrian lighting.
• New signal timing and signage will also be made along pathways/intersections near Highland, Miles Avenue, Sandstone, and Washington schools.

 Elyse Monat, the Active Transportation Planner for the City of Billings was overjoyed to hear the news. “We are so excited to be a Safe Street for All recipient! This award would not be possible without the support of our community and City Council in recognizing we want to make our community as safe as possible for children to walk, bike, and roll to school. This investment from the US Department of Transportation will help accelerate our Safe Routes to School program,” she said.

Congratulations to the City of Billings and thank you for making the safety of children and their independence in getting to school a high priority.