Missoula News

A Resolution of the Transportation Policy Coordinating Committee of the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization calling for an equitable distribution of federal and state transportation revenue, both as a part of the proposed Federal Economic Stimulus package and as a part of ongoing transportation investment in Montana.

WHEREAS, in 2000 the residents of the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) comprised 8.5 percent of the population of the State of Montana and that percentage will likely go up with the 2010 census; and

WHEREAS, as Dr. Larry Swanson, the Director of the O’Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West, told the Legislature’s Revenue Committee in December 2007, “Cities in Montana have become the settings if not the engines of economic growth, diversification, and advancement, as is the case in the larger regions. They are growing centers of education, health care, entertainment, culture, business, and finance. The greatest growth and prosperity will center and expand in cities of quality. Tend to and plan well for this growth;” and

WHEREAS, from 1990 to 2005 Missoula has had the tenth highest rate of population growth, the fourth highest rate of employment growth, the fourth highest rate of total personal income growth, and the second highest rate of per capita income growth of the 30 regional centers west of the Mississippi with comparable populations; and

WHEREAS, an improved transportation infrastructure is needed to sustain Missoula as an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) carbon monoxide (CO) maintenance area, to enhance our ability to be redesignated as an EPA PM – 10 (particulate matter) maintenance area, to avoid being added as an EPA PM – 2.5 (fine particulate matter) non-attainment area, and to support the Missoula Health Department’s strategic planning goal to improve our healthy built environment; and

WHEREAS, the only transportation project sponsored by a Missoula MPO member local government that was placed on the Governor’s stimulus package list is the Scott Street Overpass at $2.973 million; and

WHEREAS, investment in the Scott Street Overpass represents 0.19 percent of the approximately $1.6 billion proposed by the Governor for transportation projects statewide; and

WHEREAS, after taking into account obligation limitations and rescissions, the State of Montana has received an average of $284 million in federal funds from all Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) sources for highway and transit improvements in federal fiscal years 2005-2008; and

WHEREAS, Missoula’s recently adopted Long Range Transportation Plan federal revenue forecast, which was provided by the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), calls for an average of $7.4 million annually in federal funds for the MPO from all FHWA and FTA sources for highway and transit improvements over the next 28 years; and

WHEREAS, assuming funding levels remain the same Missoula’s federal funds are projected to be only 2.61 percent of all FHWA and FTA funds coming to Montana for highway and transit improvements between 2009 and 2035; and

WHEREAS, the average Montana resident receives at least $2.30 in benefit for every $1.00 spent on federal gas tax; and

WHEREAS, this increased benefit is entirely appropriate given the large amount of federal land in Western Montana, the distances between Montana communities, and the importance of Montana’s highway system including hubs like Missoula to interstate commerce; and

WHEREAS, the average Missoula MPO resident receives only $0.71 in benefit for every $1.00 spent on federal gas tax, which is less that one third of the State average; and

WHEREAS, in Fiscal Year 2006 $30.6 million and $41.2 million in State gas tax was collected in the City of Missoula and in Missoula County, respectively (While all of the fuel subject to this tax was delivered to Missoula County, some of this fuel may have been used outside of the County.); and

WHEREAS, the City and County received a total of $2.5 million in State gas tax revenue in FY 2007 (Includes City and County apportionments, contract maintenance performed by the City for MDT, and State match of Federal funds. Does not include State gas tax funds spent by MDT on highway operations and maintenance within the MPO area.); and

WHEREAS, the average Missoula MPO resident received approximately $0.05 to $0.07 on every $1.00 spent on State gas tax paid in Missoula; and

WHEREAS, as is evidenced by the recently adopted Long Range Transportation Plan, MDT has no plans to invest in and thus has not developed projects and is not developing projects to improve Reserve Street (US Highway 93), Brooks Street (US Highway 12), 5th and 6th Streets (US Highway 12) Madison Street (US Highway 12), or Broadway (US Highway 12 and Interstate 90 Business) between 2009 and 2035 despite safety and congestion issues on those facilities and despite the importance of these facilities to Missoula’s and thus the State’s economy; and

WHEREAS, while the recently completed Highway 93 Corridor Study identifies the segment of Highway 93 between Blue Mountain and Reserve Street as the most congested segment of this critical corridor and the City and County worked with FHWA to complete an Environmental Impact Statement for improvements in this segment, MDT has not pursued development of the resulting project and considers it a local issue; and

WHEREAS, MDT has used its authority to require the City of Missoula to expand the scope and thus the cost of the Russell Street project in order to, in part, lessen congestion on an MDT facility (Reserve Street), obligating federal urban funds allocated to Missoula that could be used to develop other critically needed improvements; and

WHEREAS, the dearth of project development activity and thus “shovel ready” projects within the boundaries of the Missoula MPO places Missoula at a competitive disadvantage as opportunities like the proposed Federal Economic Stimulus package present themselves; and

WHEREAS, the dearth of transportation investment within the boundaries of the Missoula MPO threatens to effectively idle one of Montana’s key “engines of economic growth” during a critical period in Montana history.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Transportation Policy Coordinating Committee of the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization that federal and state transportation revenue should be distributed equitably in Montana, both as a part of the proposed Federal Economic Stimulus package and as a part of ongoing federal and state transportation investment in Montana.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee requests that the Governor, the Legislature, and the Transportation Commission revise funding programs and formulas to ensure that Missoulians receive an equitable share of federal and state transportation funding so that all Montanans receive the benefits of economic development that would result from this investment.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee requests that Montana’s Congressional delegation continue to work diligently to ensure that Missoulians receive an equitable share of federal transportation funding, both in the proposed Economic Stimulus package and in the reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Act.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee requests that the State Transportation Commission meet soon and regularly in Missoula to discuss transportation investment in the community.