An economic stimulus package proposed in Washington, D.C., would be good for Montana and the City of Helena, officials said this week.

They added that a list of infrastructure projects, including a bus station in Helena, stand ready to move forward if lawmakers approve a package.

Jim Lynch, director of the Montana Department of Transportation, couldn't speculate on which projects might move forward, saying many projects would depend upon the rules of the package itself.

However, Lynch did say that such a package would be good for Montana, moving distant projects further up the waiting list while helping create jobs and bolstering one of the state's largest employers.

"Infrastructure is a big employer," said Lynch. "If we received some additional funding, that's just more work out there for that particular industry, and all the industries that support it."

Lynch said money from a stimulus package would likely pay for projects the state has already designed and is ready to send to bid. In turn, that would allow MDOT to apply money to other projects sooner than it might otherwise have been able to do.

"A stimulus would require projects above and beyond what states currently have programmed for that year," Lynch said. "It moves everything up the list. Hopefully, they'll let the states decide on the projects."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised earlier this week to have a large economic recovery bill ready for Barack Obama as soon as he takes office next month.

The measure could total between $500 and $700 billion for infrastructure. It could also include aid to help states cover Medicaid costs and develop renewable energy.

Much of the discussion is still speculative, though Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., said Wednesday he'd look closely at any proposal that helps move the economy forward.

"Right now, families across Montana are struggling to put food on the table and local small businesses are doing everything they can to keep their doors open," Rehberg said. "It's evident Congress needs to take additional steps to help stabilize our economy. I look forward to taking a close look at any proposal that will provide relief for Montanans and help our economy get back on track."

Lynch said MDOT has projects designed and ready for construction, along with projects that could be made ready quickly if funding were suddenly available. The City of Helena also has projects ready to go if a stimulus project were passed and the rules allowed.

"I assume the infrastructure projects include interstate, sewer and water, the bus service and the transit facility," said City Manager Tim Burton. "In the drafts I've seen floated around, all those categories are included in the package, and in each category, we've got projects ready to go."

Burton said the Custer Avenue interchange is the project most often discussed around town. It was originally scheduled for construction in 2011, but some wonder if construction would start sooner under the proposed stimulus plan.

Other area projects shelved in recent years, as federal funding became tight, could be revived under a new stimulus plan. For example, Burton said, Helena remains the state's top priority for a new transit facility.

Two years ago, federal money slated for a $2.5-million bus station on Montana Avenue was reallocated to larger cities, leaving Helena to deal with its inadequate station on Last Chance Gulch.

"We have that new bus facility designed and practically ready to go to bid," Burton said. "If they refund that project, we're the number one priority in the state and we're ready to go."

Other infrastructure improvements around Helena could include a pump and lift station on the east side of Interstate 15, where the city is expected to grow in the coming years. Burton said city officials would also like to continue making improvements to the Missouri River water treatment plant.

Like Lynch, however, Burton stressed that much of the talk is still speculation. While it's known that Congress is working on a plan, and that an infrastructure-based stimulus package would be good for Helena and Montana, the rules binding future projects and how the money will be allocated remain to be seen.

All the city can do, Burton said, is stand ready to take advantage of a federal windfall by having projects ready to go.

"We don't know what the rules are yet, but we're doing some preliminary work so that we're in the position to respond in a timely manner," Burton said. "We're going to be in a position to compete for those funds. We're keeping our eye on the ball."

Reporter Martin Kidston: 447-4086 or mkidston@helenair.com