1/20/2025
“Helena This Week” is reported and written By JoVonne Wagner. Send your Helena news and tips to [email protected].
Projects expected to bring ‘significant long-term impacts’ to community
The city of Helena received more than $4 million in grants to fund planning for transportation changes within the city that would increase connectivity and improve public safety, according to city officials.
In a city commission meeting last week, transportation services director David Knoepke announced that the city was awarded a $3.2 million Railroad Crossing Elimination Program grant and a $1.3 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant (RAISE) from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The railroad crossing elimination grant, in partnership with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway and the Montana Department of Transportation, will fund preliminary engineering and a federal environmental impact study for an alternative railroad route on Montana Avenue.
According to Knoepke, the railroad change would improve connectivity and provide better access for emergency vehicles, making Montana Avenue a reliable route.
Knoepke added that the same grant would also fund the design of a two-lane roundabout at the intersection of Montana, Helena, and East Lyndale avenues.
“This will provide not only a gateway to the 6th Ward area but improve crossing opportunities for pedestrians and also smooth traffic flow in and around that intersection,” Knoepke said at the meeting.
The grant requires $800,000 in matching funds, which will be split between the city, BNSF and the state Department of Transportation.
The RAISE grant will fund the planning of a proposed arterial connector road on the east side of South Helena.
The project would connect Interstate 15 to Highway 12 at Crossroads Parkway and provide an alternative route for travelers to access the highway instead of using the Capitol interchange, Knoepke said.
The roadwork would also create opportunities for affordable housing and commercial development at the Padbury Ranch Development Area, which sits next to the Mountian View Meadows Development Area and Habitat for Humanity property.
“These really are the type of projects that will just have such significant long-term impacts for our community for generations to come,” city commissioner Emily Dean said in the meeting.
The city anticipates having designs and environmental plans ready for both projects by March of 2027.
Public Notice
City closure: The city of Helena’s administrative offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The municipal court and transfer station will also be closed, impacting garbage collection. Residents are encouraged to place their garbage bins out by 7 a.m. the following Tuesday. The Capital Transit office will also be closed, but buses will remain in service.
League of Women Voters event: The League of Women Voters of the Helena Area will host a land use discussion with city community development director Christopher Brink on Thursday, Jan. 23, at the Lewis and Clark Library, 120 S. Last Chance Gulch, and virtually on Zoom. The event, “Help Shape Helena’s Future,” begins at 5 p.m. and will provide opportunities for the public to learn and ask questions about the land use plan.
City board vacancies: Helena is seeking applications to fill several city board openings. The positions are:
- One resident to serve on the ADA Compliance Committee
- Three residents to serve on the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Advisory Board
- One resident to serve on the Board of Adjustment
- Two residents to serve on the Citizens Conservation Board
- One resident to serve on the Golf Advisory Board
- Two residents to serve on the Helena Public Art Committee
- One resident to serve on the Information Technology & Services Board
- Two residents to serve on the City-County Consolidated Parks Board
- One resident to serve on the City-County Consolidated Planning Board
- Two residents to serve on the Tourism Business Improvement District Board of Trustees
- Seven residents to serve on the Urban Renewal Tax Increment Financing Advisory Board
The volunteer positions have varying terms and requirements. The deadline to submit applications is Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 4 p.m. For more information about each position, contact city commission deputy clerk Alyx Montiel at [email protected].
5 Things to Know in Helena
Capitol area pedestrian safety update: After a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle last week as they were crossing Montana Avenue to get to the Capitol, Helena officials and the state Department of Transportation instituted some safety strategies in the area. Orange flags have been placed at the intersection of Montana and Fifth avenues and new lightbulbs were installed in surrounding streetlights to better illuminate the roads, according to city staff. The agencies also released informative posts across social media platforms to help increase awareness for crossing pedestrians.
Helena schools begin “pre-bond” work and levy prep: In last week’s school board meeting, superintendent Rex Weltz said the district is beginning preliminary work to prepare for a construction bond and a technology levy. The bond would be aimed at funding a new Helena High School and Kessler Elementary as well as providing significant maintenance improvements to Captial High School. School officials are working with SMA Architects and Engineers of Helena to develop rough cost estimates and a timeframe for completion. A project update will be presented at the school board meeting in February before any decisions are made to seek a bond or levy.
Helena teachers earn presidential awards: Helena School District officials announced last week that two Capital High School teachers were named as the recipients of the 2025 Presidential Award of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. AP and honors biology teacher Sarah Urban and honors mathematics and robotics teacher Jake Warner were among 306 teachers from across the nation to earn the award. Each recipient receives a certificate from President Biden as well as $10,000 from the National Science Foundation.
LCC Library hosts author: The Lewis and Clark Library will host teen book author Elizabeth C. Bunce at Helena Middle School Auditorium, 1025 N. Rodney St., on Sunday, Feb. 2, where she will discuss research and writing tips on historical fiction for young writers. Bunce is best known for her “Myrle Hardcastle” mystery book series for middle school-grade readers and young adults. The event will begin at 1 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Visit the library’s website for additional details.
Help move Dave’s books: The Holter Museum of Art is asking for volunteers to help move David Spencer’s vast book collection into the museum. Spencer, who died this past November, was well-known in the downtown community for reading books at local businesses and sparking conversations with staff and visitors. Spencer also worked for the museum for the past 35 years, during which museum staff created a “Dave’s Bookstore” section in the E. L. Wiegand Creativity Center. Museum officials plan to transport the books from his apartment on Feb. 1 and Feb. 2. Visit the volunteer website to register or contact the museum at [email protected] for additional information.
Might Be Fun
Country music artist Josh Turner will be in Helena on Friday, Jan 24, for a stop on his “This Country Thing” tour. The concert will be at the Helena Civic Center, 340 Neill Ave. Ticket prices range from $50 to $150 and can be purchased on the civic center’s website.
Helena History
