Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester announced Thursday that $27.6 million in federal stimulus money will be used to rebuild Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road.
The funding will be used to complete the stretch of road between Logan Pass and Big Bend. The Democratic senators sent out the following e-mail:
A key stretch of Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road will be completed thanks to $27.6 million in funding from the recently passed jobs-stimulus bill, Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester announced today.
The $27.6 million announced today will complete the stretch of Going-to-the-Sun Road between Logan Pass and Big Bend. That stretch is Phase 8 of the ongoing effort to rebuild the world-famous mountain highway.
“Going-to-the-Sun Road is one of the crown jewels of the Treasure State,” said Baucus, chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee. “I have always fought to make sure the highway gets the investment it needs because it’s a landmark that’s a vital part of our history, heritage and most importantly, our economy. This is a long-term investment in Montana that will benefit our state and our economy for generations to come.”
“Funding good Montana projects like Going-to-the-Sun Road is one of the reasons I voted for the Jobs Bill,” said Tester, a member of the influential Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee which oversees funding for national parks. “This funding will rebuild one of the world’s most famous highways—and one of Montana’s biggest attractions—while putting folks back to work. Rebuilding Going-to-the-Sun will put people to work now and provide folks access to the Crown of the Continent.”
Both Baucus and Tester helped write, supported and voted for the jobs-stimulus earlier this year. The measure is rebuilding Montana’s economy by creating jobs and improving infrastructure like highways, water systems and military facilities.
Montana is receiving more than $1 billion in jobs-stimulus funding. The measure will also cut more than $500 million in taxes on Montanans.
Going-to-the Sun Road is one of Montana’s premier attractions. The mountain highway, considered an engineering feat since its completion in 1932, is a National Historic Landmark.