The city is eligible for a $1,341,538 fuel tax allocation through the Bridge and Road Safety and Accountability Act Program.

The BaRSAA funding was created in the 2017 Legislature with a graduated six cent increase in the motor fuel tax by fiscal year 2023. Under the law, each fiscal year, 35 percent or $9.8 million of the proceeds, whichever is greater, is allocated to Montana Department of Transportation and the remainder is allocated to local governments.

Two contracts for southwest side water main project on June 7 city agenda [2022]

Municipalities may request distribution of their funds beginning March 1 annually and local governments must match all BaRSAA distributions with a 5 percent funding match.

Allocations are calculated based on the statutory formula that is based on the city’s certified road mileage over the past year and the 2021 US Census Bureau population estimates.

City planning to use state gas tax funds for two road projects [2022]

This year, the city is planning to use their allocation for the second phase of the lower northside water main/street reconstruction project. The project is an estimated $1.44 million.

It’s a continuation of the effort to update the water mains in the area.

The second phase will include new water mains and street reconstruction on 7th Avenue North from Park Drive to 9th Street North and 3rd Avenue North from Park Drive to 3rd Street.

Eric Boyd, the city streets division manager, said their hoping to do the water main work this summer and street construction will follow either in the fall but might be next spring.

City planning $2.48 million water main replacement on lower northside [2020]

City Manager Greg Doyon said the BaRSAA funds “created a revenue stream that enabled the completion of projects that may not have been otherwise funded or would have been delayed for years” and allowed the city to keep the street assessment the same since 2016.

Road work underway on Upper River Road [2021]

Since 2018, the city has received $4,506,511 in BaRSAA funds that have been used for the following:

• Encino Drive Grande Vista 2 street repairs phase 1 in 2018, completed in 2019 for $486,787
• Lower northside water main replacement/street reconstruction in 2019, completed in 2021 for $1,499,391
•  Encino Drive Grande Vista 2 street repairs phase 2 in 2020, completed in 2021 for $690,651
• Upper River Road mill and overlay in 2020, completed in 2021, as a city-county project for $520,995
• Southwest side street reconstruction in 2021, that is under construction for an estimated $1,028,930
• East Fiesta Street reconstruction in 2022, that is currently in design for an estimated $987,343
• Giant Springs Road slide repair in 2022, that is currently in the geotechnical investigation stage for an estimated $800,000