Petition numbers released

submitted by Carter County Commissioners

The petition to the Montana Department of Transportation, Governor Greg Gianforte, and the Montana Legislature Regarding Immediate Necessary Repair of Highway 7 in Carter County, Montana garnered 564 signatures. While most signers are from Carter County, many are from Baker, Willard, Wibaux, Plevna and other surrounding Montana communities. Others signers are from Gillette, WY, Camp Crook, SD, Glenrock, WY, and Detroit Lakes, MN. Signatures included those of most of the Carter County employees and elected officials, a United States’ Congressman (thank you Congressman Matt Rosendale), and business owners, drivers, ranchers, farmers, and citizens who live throughout the County. The Carter County Commissioners thank all who signed the petition and those business who made the petitions available for signature in their stores.

One copy of the petition will be provided to the Montana Department of Transportation in person by the Carter County Commissioners during MDOT’s regional meeting in Miles City on 3/22/2022. Another copy will be personally delivered to Governor Gianforte when he visits Ekalaka later this week. Additional copies will be mailed to our local Montana Senator and Legislator, the Chairpersons of the Montana Senate and House Transportation Committees, the regional Transportation Commissioner, and the State MDOT Director.

Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the young man from Ekalaka who died in the most recent car wreck on Highway 7 this last weekend — just one month after he signed the petition. We hope MDOT will work cooperatively with Carter County to prevent further deaths on this very dangerous stretch of road.