RED LODGE — Red Lodge is set to receive nearly $3 million from the federal Economic Development Association to assist with repairs related to the 2022 floods.
Red Lodge Mayor Dave Westwood said the money will go toward upgrading the stormwater system in town, which he said has been a problem long before the floods.
Westwood said the additional money will make a huge difference.
"This is really important," Westwood said. "We don't get to do stuff like this unless we find access to other funds to let us do so."
Originally, the city budgeted to fix a few blocks each year, but with the grant money, Westwood said Red Lodge will upgrade 13 blocks instead.
"We set it up at a pace that allowed us to approach about two to three blocks every other year," Westwood said. "And this section that we're on right now, which leads up to the high school was one of those first sessions we identified."
The intersection of Second Street and Haggin Avenue is what Westwood was referring to. The road leads directly into the high school and was always going to be fixed this year. Westwood said repairs have been needed for awhile, even with less severe storms than the one in 2022.
“Basically, anything that was coming down as rainwater was ending up in our sewer and we're having to treat that," Westwood said. "It was overwhelming our system."
Red Lodge Pizza Co. owner Tom Kuntz agreed that the problem has been around for awhile.
“The stormwater system has always been an issue for Red Lodge,” Kuntz said. "Even with smaller storms, it would back up."
Kuntz said the flooding was a reminder of the infrastructure upgrades needed for years. He added that it was a time that devastated the economy, which is why he was glad to hear that upgrades are being made.
"When we had the flood, all of the businesses were affected," Kuntz said. "We saw a significant drop in business for that entire summer. It was challenging, so it's really exciting to see this project come together for our small community."
The EDA also approved grant money for Cooke City for flood relief.
