Our view
By HDN Editorial Board
Sen. Sam Kitzenberg of Glasgow will be in Havre Monday to try to raise support for widening U.S. Highway 2 into a four-lane highway.
We at The Havre Daily News urge everyone to go to the meeting, starting at 12:30 p.m. in 15 West, and to express your opinions, whether it is in favor or in opposition. Dialogue is the only way to resolve questions on the issue and find solutions.
Whatever you are looking at, widening the highway seems to be a good idea. The extremely high number of injuries and fatalities on the highway, which travels some of the remoter areas of the state, indicates that something needs to be done to improve safety.
The opportunity for increased economic development is another reason to examine widening U.S. 2. It is obvious that making it easier to travel the route and to ship items along it can only benefit the area. Better shipping will improve things for existing businesses and will increase other businesses' desire to locate here.
Easier traveling will increase the number of travelers using this prime east-west route. Increased traffic means an increased number of people driving through, and stopping in, the towns on the Hi-Line.
Better traveling, better shipping and more businesses will also make the area more attractive to people considering moving into the area.
All of the points of widening U.S. 2 seem to be in favor of it. As the law examining it signed by Gov. Judy Martz stands, it simply looks into ways of doing the project, without taking any money from existing Montana highway projects. That is part of the reason people should attend Kitzenberg's rally Monday.
Kitzenberg is trying to resurrect an association to help the search for a four-lane Highway 2 move forward.
Whether you support that idea or not, we urge everyone to attend the rally and express your opinions.
