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Vol. 19, No. 7
November 2, 2022
Ronan pg. 6
TAYLOR DAVISON / VALLEY JOURNAL
Sports pg. 12
St. Luke pg. 17
Work begins on U.S. Highway 93 Ronan North Project By Taylor Davison / Valley Journal
RONAN — The Ronan North Project has begun work to complete construction on the four-lane construction of U.S. Highway 93. Beginning at the Round Butte Road intersection, the project will extend about a mile and a half to tie into the existing four lane structure. Additionally, it’ll continue a shared use path north of town adjacent to the highway and add sidewalks along Round Butte Road. “It’s been in the works for
long time. We’re excited to get this next phase going,” commented MDT Missoula District Administrator Bob Vosen. “(It was) a lot of work to get everything put together and then have the funding come together at the right time, so we’re able to deliver this project.” In order to make the project happen, they had to wait for availability in a rolling five-year funding plan to pay for the nearly $17 million total needed for the highway and Round Butte Road path construction. w w w.va l le yj our na l.net
They also had to acquire new right of way, decide on new utility allocations, and make agreements with landowners, the city of Ronan, Flathead County, and the CSKT to get the approval needed to begin. The first steps on the project are beginning this fall, with some utility reallocation work already underway near the highway. Additionally, the clearing of topsoil and trees will start before the snow falls. If they’re lucky, Vosen hopes they can get working on the large irrigation pipe under the
highway before winter sets in, but that will depend on when the pipe gets in from order. Over all, people can likely expect to see large volumes of earth being moved from the side of the road this autumn. With the contract won by the local western Montana company, Riverside Contracting, work will begin on phase one, the expansion of the southbound lanes, after winter. This will include the installation of drainpipes and storm drains, gravel and then
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