Last week, Congressman Ryan Zinke joined Ravalli County Commissioners and local stakeholders for a ceremonial check presentation to celebrate the awarding of a one-million-dollar grant to fund repairs to Ricketts Road in Hamilton.
This project will make improvements to 2.55 miles of Ricketts Road which has not been resurfaced in 25 years. Repairs and improvements will address significant roadway decay and install drainage and irrigation culverts under the road to prevent further damage and flooding. Ricketts Road provides one of the few critical alternative travel routes from US Highway 93 for local residents, commerce, and emergency services. Residents in the community and local businesses have expressed their concerns regarding increases in traffic and safety.
“Infrastructure is not merely an expense, it’s an investment and the way the Bitterroot Valley is growing in population and commerce, we need to be making more of those investments like in Ricketts Road,” said Rep. Zinke. “The Bitterroot is growing at one of the fastest paces in all of Montana and the stress on the infrastructure is obvious. What was once a sleepy county road is now a major thoroughfare carrying literal tons of goods and hundreds of cars a day – all on nearly 30-year-old pavement. I appreciate County Commissioners Chilcott and Huls for bringing this project to my attention and working with my team to secure the necessary funding.”
Greg Chilcott, Ravalli County Commissioner, said, “Many thanks to Congressman Zinke for bringing these requests full circle. Our county is a great place to live, and we appreciate Congressman Zinke for helping us keep it that way.”
Ravalli County made the request to Zinke’s office through the U.S. House of Representatives Community Project Funding policy which allows members of the House to propose up to 15 local projects to receive funding from eligible grant programs. All projects must meet the published grant requirements and pass a series of legislative hurdles. Every project was approved by the House Appropriations Committee, of which Zinke is a member, the full House of Representatives and included in the joint funding package approved by the House and Senate and signed by the President.
WMA says
Mike,
Now that I have spoon-fed you all the information to check the history of this bill, will you deign to do what you could have done days ago by Googling infrastructure bill? Or do I need to spoon-feed you that as well? OK: congress.gov. You will discover that I was right in the first place. Zinke had absolutely nothing to do with passing the bill that authorized the funding that he distributed here in Ravalli County.
WMA says
Oh, come on, Mike. Get serious. Anyone smart enough to use a semicolon in a grammatically correct way is smart enough to understand what I am saying. The NAME of the bill is the infrastructure investment and jobs act. Its numerical designation is HR3684. Stop being intentionally obtuse. It’s just silly.
Mike Miller says
It took you three replies to answer my simple question of “What Bill was it?”
Clearly the one being obtuse is you.
WMA says
Mike,
It seems I must repeat myself; perhaps this time you will understand. The infrastructure investment and jobs act. Maybe you have a problem with words. The designation of the bill is HR3684. Does that help?
Mike Miller says
You never said HR3684 before, so you actually wee not repeating yourself.
I, on the other hand, did repeat myself in asking you to name said Bill, and it took you an additional two comment after I asked the first time for you to actually answer the question.
Clearly, you’re the one having problems with words. It’s all right here in this thread for easy viewing.
WMA says
Mike,
The funds come from the infrastructure investment and jobs act that Joe Biden signed into law in early November, 2021. Ryan Zinke was basically fired from his job as Secretary of the Interior in 2019 and was re-elected to Congress in 2022. He had nothing to do with passing the infrastructure bill. His involvement with this local funding is largely paperwork. Daines and Rosendale voted against the bill. Tester voted for the legislation. You’re welcome.
Mike Miller says
It seems I must repeat myself; perhaps this time you’ll answer.
“Really? What Bill was it?”
WMA says
As a Ricketts Road resident, I am delighted with this funding. It is important to remember that Zinke wasn’t in the House when this bill passed. Our Republican members in Washington, Rosendale and Daines, both voted against this legislation along with almost all Republicans. Thank Biden, Tester and other Democrats for this important funding,
Mike Miller says
Really? What Bill was it? That way we can see for ourselves who voted/didn’t vote for it, instead of your unsourced word.
Further, the article clearly state “Ravalli County made the request to Zinke’s office through the U.S. House of Representatives Community Project Funding policy…”, so it seems Zinke clearly was in the House, and you’re wrong.
I look forward to information about the Bill you allege of.