Tester Secures $24 Million to Repair Highway 200, Reconnect East Missoula

Funding comes from the Senator’s bipartisan infrastructure law

As a direct result of his bipartisan infrastructure law, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today secured $24,000,000 to update the Highway 200 corridor to improve connections between Missoula and East Missoula. This corridor is an outdated rural highway with a history of severe and fatal crashes. Tester secured this grant through his Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

Tester worked with five Republicans and four Democrats to negotiate the IIJA and was the only member of Montana’s Congressional delegation to vote for the bill.

“East Missoula is a rapidly growing community that deserves a safe and reliable route into town so folks can easily get groceries, go to work, and visit the doctor’s office – and what they’ve got right now just isn’t cutting it,” said Tester. “I’m proud to have secured this funding from my bipartisan infrastructure law to make the highway safe and reliable, and I’m looking forward to seeing these critical repairs connect the community.”

“We know based on conversations we’ve had with residents just how much of a game-changer this project will be for East Missoula,” said Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier. “Along with making all modes of transportation safer and improving connectivity, this project will transform the highway through East Missoula into a vibrant, community-centric main street. We’re thankful to Senator Tester for helping craft the bipartisan infrastructure law that will help make this a reality.”

Tester secured significant wins for Montana in the IIJA, including $2.82 billion for Montana’s roads, highways and bridges; $2.5 billion to complete all authorized Indian water rights settlements; $1 billion to complete all authorized rural water projects through the Bureau of Reclamation; $65 billion to deploy broadband to areas across the country that lack internet access and additionally make online connectivity affordable; and $3.37 billion to reduce wildfire risk nationwide, among others. Tester also worked to ensure that all iron, steel, and construction materials used for these projects must be made in America.

A full list of Montana provisions in Tester’s bipartisan infrastructure law can be found HERE.