Rail park falls short in bid for federal grant

A Missoula County bike path beat out Flathead County Rail Park in a nationwide competition for almost $475 million in federal grant money this summer.

Grants for 52 projects in 37 states were announced late last week for a fifth round of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program.

“These transformational TIGER projects are the best argument for investment in our transportation infrastructure,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said.

With numerous letters of support from the business community as well as local, state and federal officials, Kalispell, Flathead County and the Flathead County Economic Development Authority asked for $8.7 million to accelerate an estimated $14.5 million development of the Flathead County Rail Park.

The rail park plays a big role in plans to redevelop Kalispell’s railroad corridor.

The facility would provide a site for new businesses that need railroad access to locate and possibly allow the last two Kalispell businesses that use the railroad to relocate there. That in turn would allow the city to remove the spur of railroad tracks that split the city and free a large and languishing area for redevelopment.

But the grant award was not to be.

Montana’s only grant award is $4.58 million for Missoula County to build seven miles of bike path along U.S. 93. The path connects Missoula to the town of Lolo and links two regional bike trail networks that currently can be reached only with on-highway travel.

There have been at least three fatalities and nine injuries involving pedestrians and bicyclists on that stretch of highway in 20 years. Two of those fatalities and four injuries would have been avoided with the separate bike path, the U.S. Department of Transportation said in its award. The grant pays for most of the $5.48 million project.

Development of the Flathead County Rail Park is anticipated to continue, only at a slower pace than would otherwise be possible.

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