Montana Infrastructure - Infrastructure

Montana Infrastructure - News

Stimulus bill goes to final Senate vote - Helena Independent Record

Helena Independent Record, MT - Apr 15, 2009

Stimulus bill goes to final Senate voteBy MIKE DENNISON - IR State Bureau - 04/15/09 The bill authorizing Montana’s $880 million share of federal economic-stimulus money squeezed through the state Senate Tuesday, overcoming strident criticism that it’s wasteful spending — or spending not in

Residents from Woodbury, Bayport fined for poaching Montana antelope - Woodbury Bulletin

Woodbury Bulletin, MN - Apr 15, 2009

Residents from Woodbury, Bayport fined for poaching Montana antelopeWe also reserve the right to permanently block any user who violates these terms and conditions. All threats to systems or site infrastructure shall be assumed genuine in nature and will be reported to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.

The Eco-Pig Book: Pork Barrel Spending on Environmental Projects

Daily Green - Apr 15, 2009

Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) $206000 for wool research in three states (Montana, Texas, and Wyoming) - Reps. Mike Conaway (R-Texas) and Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas) $200000 for continued weather technology and observation at Plymouth State University - Judd Gregg

Wrong about McDonald - Helena Independent Record

Helena Independent Record, MT - Apr 15, 2009

Wrong about McDonaldThat means money for Montana’s schools, health care, infrastructure and unemployment. McDonald simply said it is hypocritical to cast a no vote on the stimulus package and then come to Montana and take credit for the money coming.

Senator raises concerns about national infrastructure bank - SmartBrief

SmartBrief, DC - Apr 10, 2009

Senator raises concerns about national infrastructure bankMax Baucus of Montana said the bank could hurt the nation's highway program. At a hearing this week, Baucus warned that political fights could prevent poorer states from receiving funds from an infrastructure bank. Reuters (04/09)

New Research Points to New Boom in Northern Rockies - New West

14.04.09

The dramatic downturn in the real estate market is likely to end sooner rather than later in the Northern Rockies, according to new research from Arthur C. Nelson, Presidential Professor and Director of the Metropolitan Research Center at the University of Utah - and the I-90 corridor in Montana and the Snake River Valley in Idaho are especially well-positioned for renewed growth.

Nelson’s research shows that surplus housing supply in Montana is likely to be absorbed by the end of this year, and by 2011 in Idaho. Further, the need to replace aging building inventory - especially in commercial real estate - will drive demand above and beyond what population growth trends alone would suggest.

Indeed, if you take the long view, the Northern Rockies will benefit from powerful secular trends including population growth and an aging demographic that’s increasingly interested in smaller living spaces, rental housing, and walkable neighborhoods. While rural areas, cities and close-in suburbs stand to benefit, more distant suburbs will require wholesale re-making to retain their vitality. Nelson envisions traditional suburban shopping malls, and their extensive parking lots, as ideal sites for next-generation commercial and residential infrastructure.

Source: New West, MT

Car-Free in Montana

Some thoughts today from one of the newest members of the Streetsblog Network -- from Missoula, Montana, Imagine No Cars. The blog's author, Lewis Kelley, is a University of Montana student who is chronicling his year of living without a motor vehicle. He calls the blog "a journal of my journey to live a car-free lifestyle. An experiment to bike, walk, and bus it through the next year of my life. What will not using a car mean?" (Check out his photostream on Flickr, too. Some nice stuff there.)

Those opposed to ADUs claim they are worried about the “character” of a neighborhood and the density that they may bring with them. I may be wrong, but what I hear is that people don’t want those with lower incomes mixing into their nice, high income neighborhoods….

The reality is that this is an issue of how we, as a community, want to accommodate future growth. Missoula already has a large problem when it comes to supplying affordable housing, so do we want to continue to build large apartment complexes full of low and middle income residents on the edge of town, like those built in the last few years around North Reserve? This creates an additional problem of forcing people who have less means to afford commuting to have longer commutes.

We have a choice to make. Do we want development to occur on the edge of town, or do we want to concentrate on infill? If we continue to grow outwards, large developers, retiring farmers, and the construction industry win out big, but Missoula will lose valuable farm land, open space, and wildlife habitat that helps to make Missoula a great place to live, while taking more money from taxpayers for infrastructure, increasing congestion, and pollution. If we choose infill, we get to keep the overall character of Missoula, keep the open spaces we love so much for recreation, and create a more walkable community while giving homeowners the ability to invest in their own property to provide a better income and home for Missoula residents not lucky enough to afford a home.