Big Horn County approves $293,600 federal SS4A planning grant for county transportation safety plan

At its Jan. 15, 2026 meeting in Hardin, the Big Horn County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a grant agreement under the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program to fund a countywide transportation safety action plan.

The board recorded that the federal share of the award is $293,600, with a recipient match of $73,400, for total eligible project costs of $367,000. The agreement sets a period of performance of 48 months and designates the project as the “Big Horn County Comprehensive Transportation Action Plan,” intended to develop a plan to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries and to engage residents in planning and implementation priorities.

Commissioner George Real Bird III moved to approve the SS4A grant contract; Commissioner Larry Vandersloot seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. The meeting minutes include the federal award documentation and administrative terms supplied by FHWA.

The grant agreement references the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and cites Section 24112 and FHWA general terms and conditions; the record identifies FHWA and Montana Division contacts and requires compliance with federal administrative rules (2 C.F.R. part 200) and nondiscrimination laws including Titles VI and the ADA. The grant documentation notes planned public availability of the final action plan, and milestone dates in the agreement list a planned publicly available final plan by Sept. 1, 2029 and a final report due Jan. 1, 2029.

As recorded, Peri Schenderline is listed as a county contact for the award and Michael Opie is listed as key county personnel for grant administration. The board’s action authorizes the county to accept the federal award and proceed with planning activities; subsequent procurement and subaward approvals will follow the requirements in the federal agreement.

What happens next: the county must follow FHWA procedures for reimbursements and reporting, comply with civil-rights and Buy America rules cited in the agreement, and publish the final Action Plan on a publicly available website when complete.