County eyes federal funds for road work

The Daily Inter Lake

Flathead County hopes to get money from the federal Secure Rural Schools Act this summer to make improvements on the North Fork and Star Meadows roads.

The county has asked for $175,000 in federal money to apply crushed rock on the North Fork Road between Camas Road and Polebridge. About $66,000 has been requested to finish chip-sealing 2.7 miles of Star Meadows Road. County equipment and manpower would be used to match the federal money.

The local Resource Advisory Committee, a group of people representing government, recreation, education, the timber industry and other entities, recommends how to divvy up Flathead's share of the federal money.

The committee has been assessing about two dozen project applications for this funding cycle, according to Flathead County Commissioner Jim Dupont, who serves on the committee.

Successful projects will be announced within the next few weeks.

The Flathead is in line to get about $370,000 to spend on a variety of projects, from road work to fire mitigation and trail clearing.

The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 last year was reauthorized through 2011.

In mid-January, the U.S. Forest Service began distributing more than $477 million to 41 states and Puerto Rico for improvements to public schools and roads and stewardship projects.

An additional $52 million is available this year to be used by local Resource Advisory Committees to fund projects to maintain infrastructure, improve the health of watersheds and ecosystems, protect communities, and strengthen local economies hurt by federal cutbacks in logging.