BILLINGS, Mont. — South Side resident Marion Dozier has waited many times over the years for trains to cross 27th Street downtown, the Billings Gazette reports.
Dozier is relieved that a new federal transportation bill includes $100,000 for a study of alleviating railroad and traffic conflicts in Downtown Billings. Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., announced recently that the Senate Appropriations Committee had approved $18.2 million for Montana transportation projects, including the downtown Billings railroad study, for the 2003 fiscal year. Burns is a member of the Appropriations Committee.
“They’ll do a more comprehensive railroad study,” said Dozier, who chairs the Over Under or Around the Railroad Tracks Committee, which has been working to find a solution to the problems of downtown train traffic.
One memorable traffic delay occurred about three years ago when Dozier was driving to a meeting in downtown Billings to discuss a city transportation plan. Dozier was stranded while a train crossed 27th Street.
“When I got to the meeting my heart was banging. I was a half-hour late,” Dozier said. She said the transportation plan mentioned only a “perceived need” for a railroad underpass or overpass in downtown Billings.
“I told them, ‘I want you to know I was held up by a perceived inconvenience,’ ” Dozier said.
According to Burns, the transportation bill also includes $2.1 million for a new air traffic control tower at Billings Logan International Airport.
The bill also includes $128 million for the continued funding of the Essential Air Service program. In Montana, the EAS program subsidizes air service between Billings and Glasgow, Glendive, Havre, Lewistown, Miles City, Sidney and Wolf Point.
The bill is still awaiting approval by the full Senate. After Senate approval, the bill will then go to a joint House-Senate conference committee to reconcile any differences between House and Senate bills.