Funding found for Three Mile Drive job

The Montana Department of Transportation is trying to rebuild Three Mile Drive next spring in a push to complete yet another phase of the Kalispell bypass.

“It looks like funding is available for the work and that we’re all systems go for an October [bid] letting,” said Ed Toavs, Missoula district administrator. “We’re anticipating a spring 2014 construction start, but at least the project will be out to contract.”

The estimated $4 million to $5 million project would rebuild half a mile of Three Mile Drive with a bridge over the planned path of the U.S. 93 Alternate Route, otherwise known as the Kalispell bypass.

The bypass would connect to that bridge with a full interchange when the bypass is built through the area in a future phase of construction.

According to Toavs, the completed Three Mile Drive project might “look a little strange” until that connection with the bypass is made, with a bridge spanning an empty field. But that approach allows another phase of bypass to be built with money that is available now and reduces the total cost of finishing the bypass, Toavs said.

“Once the bridge is in place, when we connect the bypass from the north or south there are no throwaway costs.” Toavs said. “Where if we do a temporary connection that could be between $500,000 and $1 million in throwaway costs.”

A final contract for the Three Mile Drive work will require approval of the Montana Transportation Commission, a group that agreed to put the project out for bids at its meeting in July.

But the commission has raised concerns about its commitment to completing the Kalispell bypass, even as work continues this summer on a $6.7 million phase that’s building the northernmost leg of the bypass from U.S. 93 and West Reserve Drive south to Reserve Loop.

At that July meeting, Kevin Howlett, the transportation commission’s chairman and the representative for Northwest Montana, said he has concerns about the city of Kalispell’s plan to build Four Mile Drive with its yearly allocations of federal urban highway money and refused to let the city and the Montana Department of Transportation move forward with that project.

Howlett asked for more information about the Four Mile Drive work and the Kalispell bypass. He also suggested commission members should take more active roles in setting the transportation priorities in their districts.

Kalispell wants to extend Four Mile Drive west to Stillwater Road with a bridge over the planned path of the Kalispell bypass. That would create a new east-west connection in a congested part of the city and leave only two more phases of construction needed for a fully functioning bypass: A stretch of bypass running from U.S. 2 to Three Mile Drive and a stretch from Three Mile Drive to Reserve Loop.

If Four Mile Drive and Three Mile Drive are completed and those last two phases of bypass remain a priority, they could be built within a few years, Kalispell Planning Director Tom Jentz predicted. If not, the Kalispell bypass could be stuck on hold for much longer as other major road projects in Northwest Montana mature and compete for funding.

The southern half of the Kalispell bypass opened to traffic in November 2010. It runs from U.S. 93 south of Kalispell to U.S. 2 and cost more than $22 million to build.

Local officials are trying to build a strong show of support for the Four Mile Drive project and for completion of the Kalispell bypass.

The Kalispell Chamber of Commerce is asking its members to publicly endorse both projects as top priorities. The Chamber also is scheduling free transportation to Helena for people who want to testify in favor of the projects at the Montana Transportation Commission’s next meeting on Sept. 26.

Showing that local support for Four Mile Drive and the Kalispell bypass is critical, Toavs said.

“If Kalispell wants to get serious about finishing this thing, if they can have that local business support, local government support and state delegation support, if those people can show up, that’s a statement.”

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