Kalispell to build new bike path along U.S. 93

Kalispell will use two years of its allocations from the Community Transportation Enhancement Program to build about a mile of new bike path along the east side of U.S. 93.

Phase one runs from East Wyoming Street to North Meridian Road. A second phase of the path eventually would extend the path to Grandview Drive near Flathead Valley Community College.

Estimated to cost about $300,000, the paved path would be separated from U.S. 93 and include benches, signs and landscaping.

The project is meant to provide a safe route from Kalispell’s north side to the downtown for bicyclists and pedestrians, Parks and Recreation Director Mike Baker said.

“The key was that safety aspect and the connection to the core downtown and to outlying areas,” he said.

The path would tie in with existing pedestrian routes that run along U.S. 93, West Reserve Drive, Whitefish Stage and through Lawrence Park.

It also would connect to pedestrian routes along Meridian Road and the U.S. 93 bypass and to the Great Northern Trail that runs about eight miles west to Kila.

Montana Department of Transportation approved Kalispell’s application for the Community Transportation Enhancement Program project, committing $259,740 of pass-through federal funding.

The agreement approved by Kalispell City Council requires a local match of $40,260, about 14 percent of the estimated cost.

“These transportation funds are covering 86 percent of the cost ... That’s a huge opportunity for local towns and communities to take advantage of,” Baker said.

Engineering and design is expected to start this summer for phase one of the path, called the Highway 93 Connector.

“This winter the design will be complete and we will go to bid for the first phase of construction and hopefully start that in spring 2013,” Baker said.

If funding allocations are made on time and enough to pay for the work, phase two could be designed and built later that same year, Baker said. If not, the work likely would be pushed back to at least spring 2014.

“It would be nice to do both in 2013,” he said.

Kalispell identified the Highway 93 Connector as a priority project several years ago to create a safe route for foot and bike traffic between the downtown and nearby neighborhoods and the college, hospital and shopping areas to the north.

The city finished a Woodland Avenue trail system last fall, built in phases over three years, Baker said.

Other priority projects on the horizon include a path along Three Mile Drive to Kalispell Middle School and subdivisions at the west end of town, and also a path along Conrad Drive from Woodland Park to Willow Glen.

“Our goal is to link everything together for an enhanced system that really promotes bike and pedestrian use in and around the community,” Baker said.

Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.