Issue
Better Roads & Infrastructure
Infrastructure connects Montana. Roads, bridges, broadband, water systems, telecommunications, and energy infrastructure determine whether people, businesses, farms, emergency services, and communities can function effectively.
Why This Matters in Montana — Roads & Bridges
Montana's Transportation Infrastructure
Montana is a large rural state with long travel distances between communities. The state has one of the largest highway systems in the country relative to its population, spanning a vast geographic area with challenging terrain and severe weather conditions.
Roads and bridges support agriculture (moving equipment, livestock, and commodities to market), freight transportation, emergency response, tourism, school transportation, healthcare access, commuting, and business operations. When roads deteriorate or bridges are weight-restricted, the costs ripple through the entire rural economy.
Maintenance is especially important in Montana because of winter weather, freeze-thaw cycles that damage road surfaces, heavy freight loads from agricultural and energy operations, and the long rural distances that make deferred maintenance more costly to address.
The Montana Department of Transportation manages the state highway system, while county roads are maintained by county governments and roads on tribal lands involve Bureau of Indian Affairs and tribal government responsibility. Coordinating maintenance and improvement across these different jurisdictions is a persistent challenge in areas like HD 42.
Why This Matters in Montana — Broadband
Rural Broadband: A Major State Priority
Montana has made rural broadband a major infrastructure priority. The state has been awarded approximately $629 million through the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program — one of the largest federal broadband investments in the country.
The state's broadband effort, coordinated through ConnectMT and the Montana Department of Commerce, is intended to connect unserved and underserved communities across the state. Montana state officials have explicitly connected rural broadband to jobs, education, and healthcare access.
Reliable broadband supports education (including distance learning for rural students), telehealth (allowing patients to access healthcare providers remotely), agriculture (precision farming, market access, and business operations), remote work, emergency communications, and government services.
Without reliable broadband, rural communities face a growing disadvantage in economic development, workforce recruitment, and access to services that urban areas take for granted.
Why This Matters in House District 42
Infrastructure Challenges in HD 42
House District 42 covers a large geographic area in southeastern Montana. The distances between communities mean that road conditions have a direct impact on emergency response times, access to healthcare, and the cost of doing business.
Roads in the district include a mix of state highways, county roads, Bureau of Indian Affairs roads, and tribal roads — each with different funding sources and maintenance responsibilities. Coordinating maintenance and improvement across these different jurisdictions is a persistent challenge.
Agricultural producers in the district depend on county roads to move equipment and products. The condition of rural roads directly affects the cost and viability of farming and ranching operations in HD 42.
Broadband gaps are significant in rural and reservation communities in the district. Limited internet access affects access to telehealth, remote work opportunities, education, and economic development. The BEAD program funding represents a significant opportunity to address these gaps in HD 42 communities.
Connections between HD 42 communities and the Billings metropolitan area are important for healthcare access, commerce, and employment. The condition of transportation corridors between southeastern Montana and Billings affects the quality of life for HD 42 residents.
Chip's Documented Experience & Record
Transportation Committee Service
In the Montana Legislature, Chip Fitzpatrick served on the Montana House Transportation Committee. The Transportation Committee handles legislation related to Montana's highway system, roads, bridges, transportation funding, motor vehicle laws, and related infrastructure issues.
Committee members review bills affecting the Montana Department of Transportation's budget and programs, transportation funding formulas, road construction and maintenance standards, and the regulatory environment for transportation in Montana.
As a former Big Horn County Commissioner and Chairman, Chip also has direct experience with county road maintenance, infrastructure budgeting, and the coordination between county, state, federal, and tribal road systems that is essential in HD 42.
His background as owner of FM Construction, LLC gives him firsthand experience with the construction and infrastructure sector — understanding both the technical and economic dimensions of road and infrastructure projects in rural Montana.
For verified information on specific transportation and infrastructure votes from the 2025 session, visit the Montana Legislature's official website and search for Representative Fitzpatrick's voting record.