Tester will hear plowing proposals

Sen. Jon Tester said he’s willing to listen to ideas about privatizing plowing of Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road, but he also expressed some skepticism about whether it would really get the job done quicker.

West Glacier businessman Darwon Stoneman recently met with Park officials and Tester staffers about the idea.

Stoneman has been critical of the National Park Service, noting that several times in recent years the road hasn’t opened to motor vehicles until July.

The Park Service spends about $700,000 a year to plow the Sun Road. Stoneman believes the private sector can get it plowed faster and cheaper.

But during a conference call last week, Tester was a bit dubious, noting heavy snows in June were the problem with this year’s later than usual opening. The road opened July 2, about two weeks later than usual.

“Mother Nature does what it wants to do,” Tester said. “(A late opening) will happen whether it’s private or not.”

Tester wondered whether privatization was a good idea.

“Will we get a better bang for our buck?” he said.

But having said that, if a good plan came forward, “I’d certainly take a look at it,” he said. “We don’t want to take a step backwards. We want to take a step forward.”