Local Emergency Planning Committee meets to discuss projects

The Mineral County Local Emergency Planning Committee held its monthly meeting on Feb. 11 in Superior. John Bennett with the Montana Highway Department updated the group on two projects that will start in March and last until October. Both will be located on I-90. The first project, called Tarkio East, will involve resurfacing the highway. This project will start east of Superior near Cedar Creek to about a mile west of Alberton.

Riverside Construction has the bid for both projects and the first one wil be done in four phases. Each phase will be in 10 mile pieces, and the highway will be down to a single lane for each phase. The second project, called Drexel East and West, will involve repairing cracks, replacing signs and guard rails. It will run from Lookout Pass to Hendersen.

Bennett wanted to speak to the group to make sure that emergency precautions were put into place, especially on the Drexel project, where portions of the highway are in narrow canyons and it could be difficult for emergency vehicles to maneuver if there were problems such as an accident or forest fires.

The appropriate LEPC members will meet with the highway department and Riverside to put a plan into place.