Congress has approved roughly $10.3 million in federal grant money to improve the main road in Big Sky.
The TIGER grant is expected to add about seven left-turn lanes at key intersections along Lone Mountain Trail. The money will also pay for the construction of a pedestrian tunnel, road signs, extend an existing paved pedestrian trail and purchase four motor coaches and six vans to enhance transit service in Big Sky.
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines announced the grant Tuesday afternoon. He said Gallatin County is leading the state in economic growth.
“This grant will help the county meet the infrastructure demands of this rapid growth and continue creating good-paying jobs in the community,” Daines said in a statement.
Tim Skop, planning coordinator for the Big Sky area, said the grant comes after a 2017 transportation study identified needs to alleviate traffic in the area. Gallatin and Madison counties adopted the study, Skop said.
“It looks like Big Sky just got $10 million to pay for all of that stuff,” he said.
The money will also help with existing and future developments, and generally improve safety for commuters along the road.
TIGER grant money is doled out to the state’s Department of Transportation to invest in road, rail, transit and port project that promise to achieve national objectives.
Skop was surprised with the news and said it was amazing that the transportation study bore fruit so quickly.
“This should help a lot of problems,” Skop said.