BUTTE - Butte received nearly $3 million in federal funding to add rail lines to its industrial park that city officials hope will entice more industry to the region.
“By adding this rail the Port of Montana can now serve additional companies,” said Butte Economic Development Coordinator Kristen Rosa.
The economic development grant will help fund an $11 million project to add about 3 miles of rail line that will connect to both Union Pacific and BNSF Railway that serve several industries at the Montana Connections just south of Butte.
“Everywhere else in Montana is served by BNSF. We’re one of the only places, us and Dillon, that get UP serviced through there, but we are the only place that has UP and BNSF,” said Rosa.
Butte is banking on the Montana Connections park for its economic future and the extra rail lines will make it attractive.
“And we already have two of those parcels sold and we have interest in a third one and we have companies on a weekly basis asking about rail-served parcels, so it’s big,” said Rosa.
Construction on the project could begin by this summer.
