County streamlines road maintenance network

Proposed belt-tightening in the Flathead County Road Department includes eliminating all maintenance and snow removal on portions of 21 county roads.

The county commissioners have not yet acted on the list of roads targeted for maintenance abandonment, but will consider each road based on six criteria established by the Road Department and Road Advisory Committee and approved by the commissioners.

The criteria that will be considered for eliminating maintenance include:

n There can be no private or personal obstructions such as permanent fences, entryways, rocks, retaining walls, steps, buildings etc. within the right of way any closer than seven feet from the edge of the traveling lane, except for mailboxes and public utility structures.

n The maintenance vehicle or equipment must be able to safely turn around at the end of a dead-end roadway. There will be no backing in or out of roadways for maintenance at any time. 

n Roadways must have a minimum driving surface width of 18 feet. 

n No alleyways will be maintained.

n Roadways cannot pose an undo safety concern to the Road Department or adjoining property. Elements such as the steepness of the road and terrain immediately adjacent to the roadway are examples of safety concerns. 

n A roadway must be directly accessible from other publicly maintained road(s).

Letters will be sent to affected property owners. If approved by the commissioners, the maintenance would cease Sept. 1, Public Works Director Dave Prunty said.

Roads proposed for maintenance abandonment include First Street in Kila; Ainley Lane in Evergreen; three alleys in Hungry Horse; Blomer, Muth, Weaver and Kauffman lanes in the Creston area; Bucks Lane in Bigfork, Burke Lane in Columbia Falls, Craven Street in Lakeside, Danford, McDermott and Vitt lanes in Kalispell, Sunnyview Avenue in Somers; Wheeler Lane in Whitefish; and an unnamed road off East Lakeshore Drive leading into Les Mason State Park in Whitefish.