09/23/2024“Helena This Week” is reported and written By JoVonne Wagner. Send your Helena news and tips to [email protected] to submit grant aimed at addressing local traffic issuesThe Helena City Commission last week gave the green light for staff to apply for a $4 million grant to fund an environmental review and engineering design for an alternative route for Montana Avenue that would bypass the railroad crossing.The city, in partnership with the Montana Department of Transportation and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Co., will apply for the Railroad Crossing Elimination grant, which is funded by the Federal Railroad Administration.The application requires a pledge of $800,000 in matching funds that the parties will split equally. City staff said during a meeting that the Montana Avenue crossing has been the topic of public interest and has fueled concerns from emergency response agencies. According to the draft letter of support, the grant would “help eliminate a critical barrier for emergency services in Helena and enhance vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian safety.” The railroad was highlighted in the city’s growth and long-range transportation plan.If awarded, the funds would also be used to engineer and design a roundabout that would replace the intersection at Montana Avenue, Helena Avenue and Lyndale Avenue, according to city staff.The railroad administration is expected to award the grants next spring. Public NoticeCandidate forum: The League of Women Voters of the Helena Area will host a forum on Monday, Sept. 23, for Lewis and Clark County Commission candidates Andy Hunthausen and Joe Dooling. The event will be held at the Helena Avenue Theatre, 1319 Helena Ave., and will begin at 5:30 p.m. For more information on the forum, contact the League of Women Voters at [email protected] Forward workshop: The city of Helena will host a community workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at the Civic Center, 340 Neill Ave, beginning at 6:30 p.m., to encourage participation in Helena Forward, the city’s planning initiative. Visit Helena Forward’s website for more information on the land use plan and the event.  5 Things to Know in Helena Opioid funding committee update:  A local committee considering grant requests from a national opioid settlement met last week to review applications from the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Helena Public School District. The government committee, which was formed earlier this year, reviews grant applications from local organizations that seek to provide opioid treatment, recovery and prevention. According to city staff, the committee will continue its discussion on the applications during the next meeting, which will be held online, on Friday, Sept. 27, at 10:30 a.m. Guardian of the Gulch: Dick Anderson Construction, a Montana-based company, has submitted a $385,800 bid to restore Helena’s iconic fire watch tower, which was built in 1874. The call for new bids came after negotiations failed between a previous bidder and the city. According to city staff, the latest bid will be discussed during the next city commission meeting on Monday, Sept. 23.  Helena firefighters head west: Three Helena firefighters traveled to California last week to assist with that state’s wildland fire efforts, according to city officials. Capts. Louis Menghini and Robbie Bennett, along with firefighter Jeffrie O’Neill, will spend the next week in the state utilizing the Helena Fire Department’s wildland fire engine. The request for assistance came from the Federal Emergency Management Assistance Compact, which is a nationwide mutual-aid system that will reimburse Helena for the deployment expenses. Shelter in place: Helena High School was ordered to shelter in place last Wednesday, Sept. 18, after social media threats were directed at the school. The high school remained in lockdown for about an hour until law enforcement identified the source of the threat and took a juvenile suspect into custody. Food Share to go solar: The Helena Food Share’s new building is gearing up to open in October and has nearly reached its $12 million fundraising goal. Now, the local food bank is seeking to add solar panels to its new construction and is raising money during the Helena Sun Run on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Might Be Fun Last chance to swing: Local dance club, Swing Out Helena, will hold a beginning country swing class on Thursday, Sept. 26, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The class will be held at TangoHelena, 15 W. Placer Ave., and costs $20. Visit Swing Out Helena’s website to sign up or for additional information.  Helena HistoryThe first passenger train to pass through Helena is pictured in 1883 on the Northern Pacific Railroad that connected Portland, Oregon, to St. Paul, Minnesota. Credit: “Helena As She Was”The post A new route for Montana Avenue? appeared first on Montana Free Press.