Superintendent Elsie Arntzen and the Land Board Approve Two Easements for the Billings Inner Belt Loop Project

Office of Public Instruction

Brian O'Leary
May 16 2022

HELENA – Superintendent Elsie Arntzen along with the other members of Montana’s Land Board voted unanimously to approve two school trust parcel easements for the Inner Belt Loop Project in Billings. This project will connect the Billings Heights area to the Zimmerman Trail. The approved easements give the city the right to build a road through two state school trust lands in Northwest Billings. The easements will provide $78,345 to the Montana Common Schools Trust, which provides funding for all of Montana’s public schools.

“This process strengthened the partnership between state government, county government, and the city of Billings to aid the citizens of Yellowstone County for future growth and development,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “I am very appreciative of the conversation between private landowners and government in moving this project forward. It is my honor to provide the best investment of Montana’s state trust lands that benefit our schools and our communities.”

“The Inner Belt Loop is critical for the future of Billings as this vital project will improve public safety, spur economic development, and increase the unity of our community,” said Billings Mayor Bill Cole. “Local, state, and federal officials have worked for 30 years to make this road a reality, and I thank the Land Board for taking this important step. The finish line is now in sight.”

Superintendent Arntzen, who is a lifelong resident of Yellowstone County, has been monitoring the Inner Belt Loop Project very closely. Last Friday the Superintendent gathered with elected officials and representatives from Yellowstone County, the City of Billings, and the state of Montana to ensure that this project was in the best interest of Billings and the state. The Superintendent gathered with:

The Governor’s Office	Representative Seekins-Crowe	Senator Smith	Billings City Council Member Owen
Department of Natural Resources and Conservation	Representative Stromswold	Senator Small	Billings City Council Member Neese
Representative Brewster	Representative Usher	Senator Ankney	Billings City Council Member Choriki
Representative Kelker	Representative Vinton	Yellowstone County Commissioner Oslin	Billings City Council Member Joy
Representative Kerr-Carpenter	Representative Zolnikov	Yellowstone County Commissioner Jones	Billings City Council Member Purinton
Representative Lenz	Senator Friedel	Yellowstone County Commissioner Pitman	Billings City Council Member Tidswell
Representative Moore	Senator Gross	Mayor Bill Cole	Billings City Council Member Boyett
Representative Mercer	Senator Kary	Billings Engineer Mac Fogelsong	Billings City Council Member Rupsis
Representative Patelis	Senator McNally	Billings City Council Member Shaw	Billings City Administrator Chris Kukulski
Representative Ricci	Senator McGillvray	Billings City Council Member Gulick	Billings Public Works employees

Superintendent Elsie Arntzen, MT DNRC Bureau Chief of Real Estate and Trust Lands Division Ryan Weiss, and City of Billings Engineer Mac Fogelsong after the Land Board meeting.

The Inner Belt Loop Project will alleviate traffic congestion between the Heights and the west end of Billings. There will also be a trailway for bicycle and pedestrian traffic providing access to parks and other trail systems. The project will be funded through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant from the United States Department of Transportation that was awarded to the city of Billings in 2020. In 2021, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s check to common schools was $47.7 million.