Design consultant selected for Core Area redesign
Kalispell City Council on Monday approved the selection of Alta Planning and Design with KLJ Engineers to design the Kalispell Trail and Complete Street project as part of the Core Area redevelopment plan.
The project includes the redesign of downtown after the railroad tracks that split Kalispell are torn out and the Glacier Rail Park is constructed on the west end of town.
According to the city’s request for qualifications on the project, the existing rail line running through the city will be removed next year, and in 2020 the new Kalispell Trail and Complete Street connection will be built. The overall project will cost an estimated $21 million. About half is coming from a U.S. Department of Transportation TIGER grant, with the other half matched by funds from Kalispell’s tax-increment finance district.
The complete street component of the project refers to constructing a useful east to west corridor across town. That and an accompanying 1.6-mile pedestrian trail accounts for an estimated $4 million of the overall project budget.
Alta Planning and Design was one of six firms to submit bids for the design project. Alta operates throughout the country and has offices in Portland, Oregon and Bozeman. City officials will now move forward with negotiating a contract with Alta.
Also on Monday the council approved a measure that will allow the city to access funds made available from the Bridge and Road Safety and Accountability Act from the Montana Department of Transportation.
There is $141,786 available. A 5 percent match is required from the city to be able to use the funds, which can be used to pay for the construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of roads or bridges. The city is taking the $7,089 needed to match from the Special Street Maintenance fund.
The funds will be used to address portions of several city projects, including new pavement on portions of West Nicklaus Drive, Buffalo Stage Road, Eighth Street West, First Avenue East, and chip sealing all streets in Spring Creek Estates.
The council also approved a proposal to subdivide a 1.43-acre lot into two lots at 105 Village Loop Drive, along with another subdivision proposal turning a 0.43-acre lot into two lots at 60 Village Loop Drive.
The council began Monday’s meeting by holding a public hearing on adjustments to municipal water regulations. The water regulation changes take out references to specific numbers and instead refer people to the requirements outlined in the city’s Standards for Design and Construction.
Council Members Phil Guiffrida and Chad Graham were not present for the meeting.
Reporter Peregrine Frissell can be reached at (406) 758-4438 or pfrissell@dailyinterlake.com.