Big Sky Rail submits Rural, Tribal Public Engagement Report
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News from Maggie Tupper, Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority
BILLINGS — The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA), completed and has submitted its Rural and Tribal Public Engagement Report to the Federal Railroad Administration.
This project and its findings are BSPRA’s inaugural effort to formally and directly gather important public knowledge and judgements on passenger rail as a social determinant of health in rural and tribal areas. The project provides a baseline understanding of benefits and issues related to reestablishing passenger rail in southern Montana and creates a template for future public engagement related to long-distance passenger rail service. BSPRA was supported by Montana State University Extension in this outreach effort and analysis.
Tribal nations represented in the project included the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Crow Tribe, and Northern Cheyenne Tribe. Non-tribal rural communities included Paradise (Sanders County), Forsyth (Rosebud County), and Glendive (Dawson County). Limited transportation options in these and surrounding communities restrict access to social and economic opportunities, which adversely impact health outcomes.
This report is part of BSPRA’s continuing efforts to restore Amtrak’s North Coast Hiawatha (NCH) route stretching from Chicago to Seattle/Portland via southern Montana and North Dakota, which will provide vital economic and social benefits to rural and tribal communities and markedly advance transportation equity. BSPRA is hopeful that the Federal Railroad Administration will recommend the renewal of service on the NCH line to Congress early next year and that this report will support that recommendation.
Common themes related to the benefits of passenger rail identified during the project include:
· Increased access to health care/medical services, including the ability to see providers in-person vs. utilizing tele-health resources; this was considered particularly advantageous for elderly individuals and veterans.
· Increased access to employment/employment opportunities and education, including the ability for college students to get to/from various educational facilities and come home more frequently, less expensively and more safely.
· Safer, more consistent, and predictable transportation, especially in the winter months during which time many people are more isolated because of hazardous driving conditions and major highway closures – significantly reducing traffic deaths and injuries
· Increased ability to attend important family and community events, most predominantly sporting events/tournaments which often take place significant distances from home communities. This also included increased safety for high school/college teams traveling for games/tournaments.
· Opportunities for economic development, including bringing residents (in addition to tourists) from the rural communities to urban centers and bring people from the urban centers to the the rural communities; connecting regions and the state and visitors from around the nation and world.
· Reduction of greenhouse gases and carbon emissions by substituting more efficient railtravel for individual vehicle use.
“We’re extremely grateful for the generous support of the Montana Healthcare Foundation, which made this project possible,” said BSPRA Chairman Dave Strohmaier. “There is a direct correlation between healthy communities and individuals and robust transportation options, like passenger rail. This was borne out in community after community that we visited as a part of our engagement process.”
The goal of the process was to explore how connectivity to not just Montana communities, but to the larger national rail network might increase national and global visitors to rural and tribal Montana and improve the ability of rural and tribal Montanans to access the rest of the nation, further increasing the economic and social well-being of impacted communities. This extends beyond renewal of the NCH route to also embrace other potential connections to Denver or Salt Lake City, and beyond.
Additionally, direct public engagement in multiple venues, locations, and formats during the course of this project allowed BSPRA to assess the level of local support, gauge interest, and determine if there were any identified local barriers that should be considered moving forward. BSPRA and its member and partner communities are already building upon this foundation to incorporate lessons learned and expand public engagement activities. This project was supported by a $25,000 grant from the Montana Healthcare Foundation.
About the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA)
The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is a subdivision of the state government and the largest transportation district in Montana. It was formed to re-establish safe, reliable, and sustainable passenger rail service across southern Montana and comprises 20 member counties and ex officio membership of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai, Crow, and Northern Cheyenne tribes, Amtrak, Montana Department of Transportation, and BNSF Railway. Passenger rail service through southern Montana ended 43 years ago with the loss of Amtrak’s North Coast Hiawatha and the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority believes that together we can bring it back. Learn more at: bigskyrail.org and read the entire public engagement report at: bigskyrail/public- engagement-report.
For questions or interview requests, please contact BSPRA Chairman Dave Strohmaier at 406-529-5580 or dstrohmaier@bigskyrail.org; or BSPRA Executive Director Jess Peterson atjess@wssdc.com or by phone at 406-850-1592.
