Blacktail paving job to start July 20

Potholes, washboarding and clouds of dust may soon be history on Blacktail Mountain Road — at least for the first five miles of the 14-mile route.

Flathead County Public Works Director Dave Prunty said paving of the next 1.7 miles of the winding gravel road will commence on or around July 20 now that Kalispell-based construction company LHC has been awarded the contract.

About 3.5 miles of the road is already paved, but the rest of the road — which climbs to the mountaintop ski resort — is much rougher. Blacktail Mountain Ski Area General Manager Steve Spencer called the paving project a “game changer” that would open up access to the mountain for year-round activities.

Flathead National Forest was awarded a $1.2 million grant for this year’s paving, which likely will wrap up by the end of August, according to Prunty. The county will chip in a 14 percent matching grant by providing the asphalt, estimated to cost $170,000.

The grant is provided under the Federal Lands Access Program, which aims to provide more recreational access to public lands.

The mountain is within the forest’s “island unit” and, in addition to the ski area and cross-country ski trails, boasts a network of hiking trails and an off-road vehicle route.

LHC bid $477,995 for the paving, leaving a sizable chunk of cash in the forest’s coffers for additional paving.

A separate $5 million grant was already awarded to the forest to pave a further two miles. That is expected to require more complex engineering and construction than this year’s project.

Motorists traveling the road this summer can expect delays as two-way traffic is limited to one lane.

Prunty said most of the delays will be limited to 15 minutes and the county will notify local travelers in advance of any extended road closures.

Reporter Samuel Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at swilson@dailyinterlake.com.