Meeting to consider N.F. Road plans

 An open-house-style meeting has been scheduled for the public to review and give comments on the corridor study of a portion of the North Fork Road. 

The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 27, at the Discovery Center at 540 Nucleus Ave., Columbia Falls. As an open-house style meeting, no formal presentation will be given.

Flathead County and the Montana Department of Transportation are studying a 13.2-mile section of the North Fork Road north of Columbia Falls between Blankenship Road and Camas Creek Road.

The corridor has both paved and gravel surfacing. The roadway width varies from 24 to 36 feet. The entire corridor study area is within the Flathead National Forest and adjacent to Glacier National Park. The study is expected to be completed this fall.

Community participation is an important part of the corridor study process, and the public is encouraged to attend the July 27 meeting. For more information including maps, go to www.mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/northfork. 

Opinion and comments may be submitted in writing at the meeting, by mail to Lani Eggertsen-Goff, Parsons Brinckerhoff, 488 E. Winchester Street, Suite 400, Murray UT 84107 or online at www.mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/northfork/comment_form.shtml.

People should indicate comments are for the Highway 486 Corridor Study in Flathead County.

The purpose of the study is to develop a comprehensive long-range plan for managing the corridor and determine what, if anything, can be done to improve the corridor based on needs, public and agency input, and financial feasibility.

The purpose of this second public meeting is for the public to review the draft document and provide comments that will be incorporated in the final document.