Montana
Engineers give Montana a 'C-' in new infrastructure analysis • Daily Montanan
A report released Wednesday by the Montana Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers gave Montana’s infrastructure a “C-,” lower than the “C” grade it got on the same report in 2018, based primarily on a host of aging infrastructure across the large state and being underfunded to perform the upgrades needed on a quick timeline.
The 2024 Report Card for Montana’s Infrastructure showed two categories of infrastructure – drinking water and schools – saw improvements from the 2018 report, though schools still received a “D” grade. Three other categories – bridges, energy, and solid waste – received downgrades.
The report said that $8 billion in federal revenue – primarily the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and 2022 Inflation Reduction Act signed by President Joe Biden – along with $2 billion in private funding and some efforts by the state to fund infrastructure improvements have made a dent in needed upgrades, but likely billions of dollars more would be necessary to get Montana’s infrastructure in a better place.
“We face significant challenges given how spread out our state is and how many environmental threats we encounter across our diverse geography, with minimal revenue sources to pull from due to our small population,” Lexi Leffler, the chair of the 2024 Report Card, said in a statement. “However, Montana’s engineers, agencies or departments, and leadership continue to work to provide an infrastructure network that keeps our residents safe and economy thriving.”
The report recommends the state work to establish dedicated, long-term funding for critical infrastructure like roads, bridges, and dams, saying inconsistent funding has created a backlog of deferred maintenance. It also recommends Montana grow its workforce and educational programs to help bolster the number of workers needed to address the upgrades, and says the state should prioritize climate resilience when deciding which infrastructure to upgrade when, and in what manner that will occur.
“Montana’s diverse geography and extreme weather risks require robust strategies to enhance resilience,” the report says. “Investing in infrastructure capable of withstanding severe conditions, such as improved stormwater systems and wildfire-resistant designs, enhances resiliency and safeguards communities.”
The American Society of Civil Engineers also does a report card for U.S. infrastructure every four years. The last report, issued in 2021, gave the United States a “C-” as well. The next nationwide report will be released next March.
Along with a backlog in many of the categories, the report says Montana needs to look at the future when addressing new construction or fixing and upgrading old infrastructure.
“Montana’s infrastructure must also adapt to risk for extreme weather events, public health imperatives such as removing lead water lines, and new environmental challenges such as ‘forever chemicals’ in water supplies,” the report says.
It also says that funding has lagged for years in Montana and suggests some large increases in money need to go toward addressing certain categories of infrastructure before they fail altogether.
That includes an estimated $4.4 billion over the next decade for bridges, when current funding is anticipated to be around $535 million. The report says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency forecasts Montana needs about $2.3 billion to address drinking water infrastructure treatment and storage, while it says Montana had been putting around $170 million toward those projects until the recent boost in federal funding upped that to about $250 million a year.
The report says for roads, needs currently outpace revenue by a 3-to-1 ratio, which it says is “jeopardizing the future of Montana’s transportation system.” There are 13,000 miles of state highway and interstates in Montana and more than 63,000 miles of county, municipal and tribal roads.
The report suggests that ensuring a future with good roads in Montana would require increased funding from all levels of government, more preventative maintenance, and more advanced construction technology than is currently being used.
“Without decisive action, the state risks jeopardizing public safety, economic growth, and quality of life,” the report says.
It also said the EPA believes Montana needs about $347 million in wastewater improvements and another $22 million to upgrade the state’s stormwater infrastructure.
Schools and stormwater infrastructure got the worst grades of the 14 categories the report looked at, with a “D” for each. The report says 68% of Montana’s 826 K-12 schools were built before 1970 and that the state’s school maintenance fund had seen falling revenue in the past 14 years.
That has created a backlog for repairs and more modern and energy-efficient upgrades, and compounded with increasing energy costs and declining student enrollment, budgets are tight, according to the report, and schools also need to provide a quality learning environment for their children and may choose that route over funding infrastructure upgrades.
“Addressing these issues requires sustained investment and innovative solutions to modernize facilities and support the long-term success of Montana’s education system,” the report says.
The EPA in October announced a 10-year, $25 million investment in Montana to replace the state’s lead water pipes, including at schools, though the number of them across the state is currently unknown, a state official said at the time.
Stormwater infrastructure received a “D” in part because Montana is so rural and many of those smaller municipalities cannot fund upgrades. The effects of agricultural runoff, which the report says “remains largely unregulated,” poses the largest threat to contamination of stormwater systems and costs to mitigate that contamination could mean even more money is required than estimated by the EPA, according to the report.
Bridges remain a concern, according to the report’s authors, despite $45 million in federal dollars under the Biden administration going toward Montana’s bridges. The 5,200 bridges in Montana are on average at least 50 years old, and about 15% need immediate repairs. Further, the number of load-posted or closed bridges is growing 10% to 20% each year, the report says.
One of the governor’s proposals for the upcoming budget is to put $10 million a year over five years toward fixing 500 bridges across the state.
The category that got the best grade, a “C+,” was Montana’s rail system. Since about 70% of Montana’s rail track is owned by freight operators, the report says its rail lines play a crucial part of the state and national economy.
But it also says that aging infrastructure, a lack of needed safety guidelines, and vulnerability to climatological events like floods, fires and landslides create “significant” challenges moving forward.
“Federal funding and innovative technologies offer opportunities for modernization, but targeted investment and coordinated planning are essential to meet current and future demands,” the report says.
The report calls Montana’s mix of energy infrastructure “diverse” and says it is fourth in the U.S. for per capita energy consumption, due in part to the cold winters, long drive times, and energy production industries. It also exports about 40% of the power generated here.
But the report says Montana will face increasing energy demands as its population grows and that it needs to modernize its energy grid to include more renewable energy. It recommends Montana seek more federal and private funding to do so.
For the first time, the report looked into Montana’s broadband, which received $275 million in federal dollars from the Legislature in 2021, and which Gov. Greg Gianforte and the state broadband office have been working to make accessible across the state by 2030.
It says Montana still lags behind the rest of the country in terms of the share of its citizens who have access to internet speeds of 100 megabits per second, with about 71% of Montanans having those internet speeds at minimum compared to a national average of 93%.
The report, which was put together by more than 20 infrastructure and engineering professionals, recommends that lawmakers, the executive branch, private interests, and citizens work toward increasing funding some of the infrastructure needs to build what it calls a resilient and sustainable future.
“Addressing these critical infrastructure needs will enhance public safety, boost economic resilience, and improve the quality of life across Big Sky Country,” the report says.
2024-montana-infrastructure-report-card-full-report
In these Montana towns a stranger rarely stays a stranger for long. Shopkeepers in Philipsburg know their regulars by name. Bigfork neighbors fill the same theater seats every summer. Livingston locals still swap trail tips with visitors over coffee. The welcome here comes from people who greet newcomers like they belong. These eight communities show what small-town Montana hospitality looks like up close.
Whitefish
Whitefish sits within an hour of Glacier National Park, and that proximity shapes everything about the town. Central Avenue runs on covered Old West walkways lined with local shops, restaurants, and galleries, and the crowd shifts with the seasons as skiers give way to summer hikers.
Glacier National Park draws visitors with hundreds of miles of hiking trails, alpine lakes, and the scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road. Closer to town, Whitefish Lake offers public beaches, boat rentals, paddleboarding, and fishing during the warmer months. When winter arrives, Whitefish Mountain Resort becomes the area’s main attraction, with ski runs, snowboarding terrain, and gondola rides overlooking the Flathead Valley. Even after a day outdoors, many visitors return to downtown Whitefish to browse local shops or settle in at the town’s restaurants and breweries.
Bigfork
Sitting on the northeastern shore of Flathead Lake, Bigfork pairs a working harbor with a downtown built around its artists. Galleries and studios cluster within a few walkable blocks, and the water is never out of sight for long.
Flathead Lake is the town’s biggest draw, with boating, kayaking, fishing, and swimming on the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River in the lower 48 states. Just offshore, Wild Horse Island State Park lets visitors hike among native wildlife, including wild horses, bighorn sheep, bald eagles, and mule deer. Theater lovers can catch a Broadway-style production at Bigfork Summer Playhouse, which has staged live performances for decades. Before leaving town, visitors can browse the independently owned galleries and studios showcasing paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and other work by Montana artists.
Philipsburg
Philipsburg made its money in silver, and the painted storefronts along Broadway Street date to those boom years. The old buildings now hold local businesses, and the mining past is easy to trace from one block to the next.
A visit to Gem Mountain Sapphire Mine lets visitors sift through mining gravel for Montana sapphires, many of which can be cut into finished gemstones. Just outside town, Granite Ghost Town State Park preserves the remains of a silver mining community, with abandoned buildings that mark the region’s boom years. Those interested in local history can stop at the Granite County Museum, where exhibits cover the area’s mining industry and early settlement. Before leaving, many visitors make time for The Sweet Palace, a candy store that has become one of the town’s signature stops.
Livingston
Livingston sits on the Yellowstone River and serves as a northern gateway to Yellowstone National Park. Restored commercial buildings house an active arts scene, and the Absaroka Range rises just south of the rooflines.
The historic downtown works as the town’s main visitor area, with independent bookstores, outfitters, cafes, and long-standing local businesses inside restored commercial buildings. At the Yellowstone Gateway Museum, exhibits trace the region’s history through Indigenous presence, railroad expansion, and early settlement in the Yellowstone Valley. Small galleries across the downtown core show work by regional artists whose subjects often reflect the river valley and the mountains around it.
Red Lodge
Red Lodge marks the start of the Beartooth Highway, one of the highest paved roads in the country. Its compact, walkable downtown keeps locally owned shops and restaurants busy in every season.
The Beartooth Highway climbs into the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness and continues toward Yellowstone National Park, with steep mountain passes, alpine lakes, and long-range views. In winter, Red Lodge Mountain becomes a major recreation area for skiing and snowboarding, with terrain that draws residents and visitors alike. During the warmer months, hiking trails in the surrounding mountains open onto forests, ridgelines, and wildlife viewing areas. Downtown Red Lodge stays active year-round, with local businesses and historic buildings packed into a walkable core.
Choteau
Choteau sits where the prairie meets the Rocky Mountain Front, and dinosaurs put it on the map. Fossil beds nearby produced some of the most important dinosaur nesting discoveries in North America, and the town leans into that history.
At the Old Trail Museum, exhibits cover the region’s natural history, including fossil finds and artifacts tied to its prehistoric past. The surrounding country is known for wildlife viewing, with elk, deer, and many bird species in the foothills and open plains near town. Just outside Choteau, fossil sites linked to major dinosaur discoveries have built the area’s reputation in paleontology research. The Rocky Mountain Front opens onto hiking routes and wide viewpoints where the plains give way to the peaks.
Stevensville
Stevensville is the oldest permanent settlement in Montana, founded in 1841 as St. Mary’s Mission. It sits in the Bitterroot Valley between the Bitterroot and Sapphire mountains, and the town center still runs at a slower pace.
St. Mary’s Mission is the town’s most significant landmark, preserving the mission’s early buildings and marking the first permanent Euro-American settlement in what became Montana. The Bitterroot Valley around Stevensville is known for its orchards, farmland, and mountain views, and it serves as a corridor to nearby communities and recreation areas. Local boutiques and small shops fill a compact town center that reflects its long history. Hiking trails in the nearby foothills reach forested terrain, open meadows, and views of the Bitterroot Mountains, drawing the most traffic during the warmer months.
Virginia City
Virginia City boomed after an 1863 gold strike in Alder Gulch, and much of that town survived. Wooden boardwalks, original storefronts, and period buildings still line the Main Street, so a walk here doubles as a walk through the 1860s.
Historic structures throughout the town can be toured to see how miners, shopkeepers, and early settlers lived during the gold rush era. Several small museums and preserved buildings cover mining equipment, frontier life, and local governance during the 1800s. Costumed interpreters run seasonal reenactments as well, recreating daily routines and events from Virginia City’s early years.
Small Towns Worth the Detour
These eight towns show how much Montana packs into its smaller communities. Livingston and Whitefish put national parks within reach of a walkable downtown, while Philipsburg and Virginia City keep their mining-era streets intact and open to visitors. Choteau turns fossil country into a point of local pride, and Stevensville carries the state’s oldest roots. Anyone looking for genuine small-town hospitality will find plenty of it across these Montana communities.
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 9, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from July 9 drawing
08-21-24-29, Bonus: 16
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 9 drawing
02-15-22-54-58, Bonus: 04
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
A restraining order has been issued that blocks the Montana Republican Party from enacting new bylaws intended to drive nonconformists…
A restraining order has been issued that blocks the Montana Republican Party from enacting new bylaws intended to drive nonconformists out of the party ranks.
Lewis and Clark County District Judge Michael F. McMahon issued the restraining order Wednesday morning. The order had been requested by county precinct committees and officers suing the state party organization over the new bylaws. The plaintiffs are the Yellowstone County Republican Central Committee, the Choteau County Republican Central Committee, and individual committee members Jeff Essmann, Ted Kronebusch, James Wilson and state Rep. Brad Barker, R-Red Lodge.
At issue are bylaws passed during MTGOP’s June platform convention that the litigating party members say amount to “fraudulent and corrupt practices.” The new bylaws require members to pay $20 in annual membership dues and pledge a loyalty oath, and subject members to removal from elected party positions for nonpayment of dues or for “conduct deemed inconsistent with party purposes,” as determined by executive party party officers. The new bylaws allow charges for removal to be brought by any 20 official Republican Party members.
Montana Republican Party Chairman Art Wittich, the only official spokesperson for the state party, has not responded to voicemails and texts sent to his cell phone Wednesday. Wittich, elected party chairman in June 2025, has long been emphatic about exposing “Democrats disguised as Republicans” — for Wittich a now decade-old battle that spun into a bitter multimillion-dollar war between party hardliners and relative centrists in this spring’s Republican legislative primaries.
The centrists drew the ire of the hardliners in 2025 by collaborating with Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte and legislative Democrats to pass a balanced state budget and key pieces of legislation, including increased taxes on second homes and property tax reductions for primary residences and small businesses.
What constitutes disqualifying conduct isn’t fully spelled out in the bylaws, but they do specify that “collaborating with Democrats” in the Legislature, the governor’s office, the courts, or elections can get members disciplined or removed.
The lawsuit alleges that “The 2026 bylaws empower a small group within the party to revoke Republican affiliation from candidates or office holders, undoing primary nominations by the electorate.”
The plaintiffs argue that Montana voters, not party bylaws, should determine who represents the Republican Party in general elections and who represents voting precincts on the publicly elected county-level Republican committees that coordinate local political activity.
The Montana Legislature in 2019 passed a bill protecting publicly elected party precinct committee officers from being arbitrarily removed from office and defined attempts to do so as “fraudulent and corrupt practices.” That law, sparked by Republican Party infighting 10 years ago, is the foundation of the current lawsuit.
There has been a surge of public interest in Republican precinct-level politics following a perceived lack of support by party hardliners for Republican candidates in conservative strongholds like Flathead County, where more than 60 new precinct committeemen and committeewomen were elected in June. That wave of new officers was preceded by Flathead County Republican Central Committee members considering an endorsement of Libertarian Sid Daoud for Kalispell mayor over Republican Kisa Davison in late 2025. The Kalispell mayor’s race is nonpartisan, but Republicans have gone to court to secure the party’s right to endorse candidates in nonpartisan races.
Wittich’s own campaign for precinct committeeman representing Whitefish was a casualty of that new wave of public interest. He lost to Republican Giuseppe “G-man” Caltabiano, who serves on the Whitefish City Council.
Caltabiano’s wife, Roxanne Ross, defeated Candace Wittich, wife of the Republican chair, in the same election.
State law gives precinct officers two-year terms and specifies that they can be removed only for death, written resignation or loss of residency. The new bylaws state that participation in party governance, including service as a precinct official, “is a privilege of association, not a right conferred by public office or candidacy. Members must act in good faith to support the Party’s purpose and must not engage in conduct materially inconsistent with the Party’s interests, including conduct that undermines its platform, policy positions, election operations, or internal governance.”
The recent changes to the party bylaws allow precinct officeholders to be suspended from voting in party matters and replaced by party leadership for noncompliance. Empty precinct seats can be filled by the Republican Party chair.
“Every Republican candidate sells their version of Republicanism to the people in a primary campaign, and the voter chooses which version to buy,” the lawsuit states. “The party cannot dictate what brands of Republicanism are on the market.”
Former MTGOP chair Jeff Essmann, a plaintiff who is also a long-serving precinct officer, said in his affidavit that members of the Republican State Central Committee weren’t given a required notification about attempts to amend the bylaws. He said he would have attended the platform convention and argued against amending the bylaws if he had known.
“The 2026 Bylaws empower any twenty members of the Party to recommend any other member of the Party for expulsion from the party, to be determined by the State Central Committee, even people who do not reside in Yellowstone County and who have never met me,” Essmann said in the affidavit.
Other central committee members produced pre-convention emails about potential changes to the bylaws, but no details about the amendments.
In issuing the order, McMahon indicated that Republicans challenging the bylaws are likely to succeed. He set a July 13 hearing on whether to make the order permanent.
“Plaintiffs have shown a likelihood of success on the merits of their claims that the challenged provisions are inconsistent with Montana election law and constitutional protections governing candidacy, nomination, speech, association, due process, and elected precinct committee representatives,” McMahon ruled.
___
This story was originally published by Montana Free Press and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Copyright
© 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
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