For Dalton Bridge project, tell legislators to support TSEP rather than specific House Bill

Residents urged to voice support for TSEP funding

The grant funding needed for the Dalton Mountain Road bridge replacement project is currently part of the 2019 Legislative Session's House Bill 14, but supporters of the project are being urged to ask legislators to support bridge funding under the Treasure State Endowment Program, rather than a specific bill.

In an e-mail to Lewis and Clark County Director of Public Works Eric Griffin and County Engineer Dan Karlin, Karl Yakawich of Great West Engineering explained that in the past TSEP funding has been moved from one bill into another as legislation works its way through the process. He said historically it has wound up in HB 11. However, since it's unclear if that will be the case this session, he urged residents who support the Dalton Bridge project to call on their legislators to simply support the long-term allocation of funds to the TSEP program, TSEP funding for bridges and spending on infrastructure.

At the January Government Day meeting in Lincoln, Commissioner Susan Good Geise urged Lincoln-area residents to contact their representative for House District 80, Becky Beard, to urge her to support funding for the project. At that time, Griffin believed TSEP would be included in House Bill 2, the General Appropriations Bill, as it had been in some past legislative sessions.

The Dalton Mountain Road bridge project is ranked number two among the states bridge projects in line for TSEP grant funding.