Reservoir road work ramps up along

People planning to drive anywhere around Hungry Horse Reservoir are being advised to pay attention because of a flurry of road projects.

The projects were contracted by the Flathead National Forest, largely with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The forest advises travelers that a project on the East Side Reservoir Road will cause traffic delays of 30 to 45 minutes through Friday this week.

The East Side Reservoir Road also is scheduled to close for culvert replacement work near Lost Mare Creek for up to three weeks in early August.

Access to the Riverside Boat Launch, Murray Bay Campground, Spotted Bear Ranger Station and other recreation sites will be available only by traveling the West Side Reservoir Road.

And there will be increased log truck traffic on the West Side Reservoir Road due to the Vistas Timber Project, which is aimed at enhancing views of the reservoir and the Great Bear Wilderness from the road.

Improvement work still is under way at the Doris Point Campground and day-use boat launch.

Starting in mid-September, the first 11 miles of the West Side Reservoir Road will be closed until next summer. Contractors will be replacing culverts and building retaining walls this fall to prepare the road section for repaving next spring.

The road is expected to be closed through July 2011.