By Kate Heston
Daily Inter Lake March 22, 2024, 12:00 AM
After years of effort, sidewalk construction along U.S. 2 in Evergreen is finally getting underway.
The project is in its first phase with construction slated to begin at Cottonwood Drive and extend a mile north to Poplar Drive. Drivers can expect intermittent lane closures and reduced speeds while the work takes place, officials said.
“It has been a long process, but what a great addition to our community,” said Connie McCubbins, executive director of the Evergreen Chamber of Commerce. “Sidewalks will increase pedestrian safety in our community, including increased accessibility for pedestrians with disabilities, and finally the children of Evergreen will have a safe path to schools.”
In Evergreen, children unable to find a ride to school must walk or bike to school, often along U.S. 2. The district does not qualify for state funding for a bus system because of its small size.
The paths along the highway are unpaved and students often are forced to walk on the road, especially in winter, according to Evergreen Superintendent Dr. Laurie Barron.
U.S. 2 routinely sees nearly 20,000 vehicles a day traveling one way in front of the junior high school, according to the state Department of Transportation’s 2021 Annual Average Daily Traffic data. The lack of sidewalks, while also an inconvenience, posed a safety hazard, according to school officials.
“Every time I see a student walking along the shoulder of the road … I’m concerned for that student's safety,” Barron said.
Though the work, undertaken by the Department of Transportation and Razz Construction, is expected to affect traffic along the busy road, potential frustrations for travelers should be “pretty minimal,” according to Jamie Olson, a spokesperson for the state agency.
Local groups, such as Evergreen Community Partners, have been working to address the lack of sidewalks along the highway since 2005.
The organization, in cooperation with the Evergreen Chamber of Commerce, landed a $1 million grant from the Department of Transportation in September 2021 to create sidewalks from the old Kmart to Evergreen Junior High School — what supporters refer to as “Phase 1” of the overall project.
“There has been so much time and effort and heart put into this by our community,” Barron said this week. “I am just so appreciative.”
Money for “Phase 2” of the project was set aside through House Bill 5 during the 2023 legislative session, but the effort ultimately received the necessary dollars in federal funding doled out by the state Department of Transportation. The agency awarded the unincorporated community $999,655 in August for the second phase of the project.
The allocation came after state Rep. Tony Brockman, R-Evergreen, initially sought to secure money through standalone legislation earlier in the year. House Bill 472 was later tabled, prompting Brockman to turn to Gov. Greg Gianforte and the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Long Range Planning for help. The sidewalk project was subsequently tied into a larger infrastructure bill known as House Bill 5.
Because of the federal funding, the money reserved for the project in HB 5 will be returned to the general fund.
“Thank you to the business owners and community members who brought this project to fruition,” Brockman said this week.
McCubbins also thanked the project’s backers for their perseverance.
“We would like to thank everyone who made this happen, Evergreen Community Partners, business and property owners who realized the need for sidewalks, and Rep. Tony Brockman who fought hard for sidewalks,” McCubbins said. “Evergreen has always been a resilient community and has a history of coming together to meet a need/challenge when they arise.”
Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.