Grant to extend Kalispell bike path along U.S. 93 from Meridian to Sunnyview

Additional federal grant money is letting Kalispell build another section of bike path that’s taking shape one piece at a time along U.S. 93.

The City Council in August awarded LHC a contract to build the path from North Meridian Road to Sunnyview Lane on the highway’s east side.

Money from the Community Transportation Enhancement Program covered almost all of the $82,964 cost.

With that work done, more grant money from the program is allowing Kalispell to extend the bike path another 600 feet to Conway Drive.

That work is also being awarded to LHC and likely will cost about $63,000.

“Hopefully, if the weather holds, the contractor will be able to get that work done this fall. If not, it will be done next spring,” said Mike Baker, Kalispell’s director of parks and recreation. “It works out pretty smooth for the city in that we can complete more of these trails than we anticipated this year.”

The additional grant money was realized as the Community Transportation Enhancement Program — a program that allocated money to cities and counties each year based on their populations — is being folded into a competitive statewide program called Transportation Alternatives.

Safe Routes to Schools and Recreational Trails programs are also being folded into the Transportation Alternatives Program. It will have about $4 million available each year to help fund trail projects around the state.

Kalispell has applied for another grant to extend the bike path south to West Wyoming Street. If the request is successful, work on that project could start next year, Baker said.

A third phase of the project would extend the bike path north to the Kidsports youth athletic complex and Flathead Valley Community College.

Kalispell has also applied for a grant to build a bike path on Three Mile Drive, connecting Kalispell Middle School to several subdivisions along the road.