Tester Secures Nearly $3 Million to Replace the Lolo Street Bridge in Missoula

Funding comes from the Senator’s bipartisan infrastructure law

As a direct result of his bipartisan infrastructure law, U.S. Senator Jon Tester recently secured $2,937,900 to replace the deteriorating 57-year-old Lolo Street Bridge, one of two essential crossings to and from the popular Upper and Lower Rattlesnake areas. This funding comes from the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Discretionary Grant Program, which Tester funded 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.

“The Lolo Street Bridge serves as a critical pathway for folks in the Missoula community to get to the Upper and Lower Rattlesnake – and the current aging bridge just can’t get the job done much longer,” said Tester. “I’m proud to have secured funding through my bipartisan infrastructure law to replace the bridge and ensure folks in Missoula have safe and reliable routes around town, and I’ll keep working to make sure this project is done effectively and efficiently.”

“Missoula County is responsible for maintaining 100-plus bridges throughout the county, and federal funding helps ensure we can take on these projects without having to rely solely on property tax dollars,”said Missoula County Commission Chair Dave Strohmaier. “The Lolo Street Bridge provides vital connectively in Missoula’s Rattlesnake neighborhood, which is especially critical during evacuations related to wildfires or other disasters. We’re grateful to Senator Tester for helping craft the bipartisan infrastructure law that will provide this crucial funding, and we appreciate his support as we continue to seek federal assistance for infrastructure needs throughout the county.”

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. 

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

More information on the Lolo Street Bridge replacement can be found HERE.