Montana Dept. of Transportation Scraps Grass Range Round-A-Bout

Montana Department of Transportation Director Mike Tooley announced on Nov. 16 that MDT is scrapping the Grass Range round-a-bout project. Bob Sivertsen, one of the leaders of the effort to stop the round-a-bout, was pleased. “The people really stepped up,” said Stivertsen, adding that people have been, “signing petitions in opposition to the ill-conceived, unneeded and costly project and MDT finally listened.”

Sivertsen, along with Senator Mike Lang of Malta and Rep. Dan Bartel of Lewistown, rallied contacts, personal and professional. Sivertsen contends, “Its paid off big time, the people have spoken. They are pushing back on wasteful government spending.”

The round-a-bout came with a price tag of $4 million. Some critics contend that the safety issue at the junction of highways 200 and 191 can be fixed for under $250,000.

Sivertsen concluded, “I want to thank the people for the great out pouring of support. We want to be an ally of MDT, to work with them in upgrading Montana’s transportation system, of which is the prerequisite for economic development.”