By Pamela Ash

Forsyth Independent Press

The third task force meeting of the US 212 Corridor safety action plan was held on Thursday at the Rosebud County Fair grounds exhibition hall in Forsyth, under the direction of Steve Grabill of the task force.

The plan is being driven by a multiagency task force representing Rosebud County, Big Horn County, Powder River County, Carter County, the Crow Nation, the Northern Cheyenne Nation, the Montana Department of Transportation, the Montana Highway Patrol, and representatives for the County Health and Emergency Response units.

The task force is working on a plan for improvements to the 212 Corridor under a "Safe Streets and Roads For All" federal grant. The plan will prioritize needs and use the safety action plan as a portal to pursuing federal grants to implement the plans for improvement. It was pointed out that this plan is a first step in setting three-to-five-year goals for the corridor.

The group heard of safety concerns from Daniel Big Man, a Northern Cheyenne resident who was badly injured in an accident involving a truck on Highway 212. He was forced to leave the highway to avoid a truck from hitting him and continues to suffer from partial paralysis and other ongoing physical problems requiring numerous surgeries and more surgeries that will be needed in the future. He cited his concern for a blatant defiance of speed limits and other safety rules. He believes that the main issue that needs to be addressed is more law enforcement presence and tickets for those breaking the law.

The group agreed that more officers on the roads is an urgent need and is at the top of the list of priorities that will be addressed in the final report. Highway patrol officers have been a presence at every meeting, and they described the lack of officers and the lack of applicants for open positions. The BIA law enforcement has been invited to be part of the task force but has continued to decline invitations to participate. As with the Montana Highway Patrol, Rosebud County Sheriff's Department has also cited a lack of officers and unclear jurisdictional concerns.

At this point, the surveys being shared with citizens provided input that includes better law enforcement, installation of passing lanes, rumble strips, maintenance of roadways, pull outs for school buses, and education of drivers. Of particular concern is the lack of accountability of drivers at bus stops that endangers children entering and exiting the buses. Eighty percent of bus stops for area schools are located along Highway 212. Grabill reported that in the last six months three buses have had their stop signs knocked off by passing trucks.

The survey and information are available on the website at (bit.ly/SafeUS212)

The update at the next meeting on May 16, will include crash analysis results, speed analysis, corridor geometrics, non-engineering issues, and focus on potential solutions.