First rail authority established in Montana

Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (2) – 12/2/20

“It’s a done deal,” Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier told KPAX early Wednesday morning, hours after Montana’s first-ever passenger rail authority was formed on Tuesday night. The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority consists of 12 founding counties and are looking to establish passenger rail along the state’s southern tier, stretching from Idaho to North Dakota. In addition to transportation, the authority believes that a rail line can provide rural Montana towns with an economic boost by connecting them to some of the state’s largest metropolises.

“As of yesterday, we have all 12 counties whose county commissioners adopted the joint resolution and followed through to execute the electronic version of the resolution,” Strohmaier said. “We’re off and running.”