Construction underway for Whitefish underpass
Construction of the Baker Avenue pedestrian underpass in Whitefish began earlier this month.
The city of Whitefish is constructing the long-planned underpass to create a connection between downtown and the Railway District. The underpass will span under Baker Avenue connecting the city’s path off Railway Street to Depot Park.
Cost is $1.6 million and the contractor is LHC Inc.
Public Works Director Craig Workman says the project is being conducted in two phases in order to maintain two-way traffic over the viaduct.
The first phase involves the construction of the eastern half of the underpass and is expected to run into early October. The second phase involves construction of the western half, allowing traffic to drive over the portion of the underpass completed in the first phase.
The underpass is expected to open to pedestrians by Nov. 30.
— Whitefish Pilot
Toys for Tots needs a home
The Flathead Valley Toys for Tots program is looking for someone to donate warehouse or other storage space for its program this Christmas.
The program, run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve to distribute toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas, had to split from the Salvation Army this year due to coronavirus concerns and needs a new home to store the estimated 15,000 toys it will gather between now and Christmas, said coordinator Kelly Hamilton of Columbia Falls.
The program gathers toys for almost all age groups, having added 13- to 16-year-olds this year, Hamilton said.
Collection boxes have gone out, though most of the collection happens in November and early December.
Donations should be brand new and unwrapped. The program also needs volunteers to interview families and to deliver toys.
They’ll also pick up donations to folks who can’t drop them off, Hamilton said.
Anyone who can help with storage space or wants to volunteer can contact Hamilton directly at (406) 471-9299 or visit its Facebook page or website.
— Hungry Horse News
Bridge work completed near Trout Creek
The Montana Department of Transportation highway project to repair and improve the Clark Fork River Bridge west of Trout Creek is complete and the bridge is now fully open to traffic, the Sanders County Ledger reports.
The state used a new project delivery method that features an expanded project team to manage complex projects.
The project included replacing the old bridge deck with precast concrete panels, adding new bridge railing and expansion joints, cleaning and spot painting the structure beneath the bridge deck, milling and overlaying the bridge approach and adding new approach railing.
— Sanders County Ledger
Authorities seek leads on missing man
The Flathead County Sheriff’s Department is still searching for leads on a man who may be missing in the Great Bear Wilderness and/or the Marias Pass area.
On Sept. 20 Byron Reese Crow, 52, was reported missing. His car was located at the summit parking lot at Marias Pass.
Crow is described as 5 feet 10 inches and 240 pounds. He may be wearing a kilt. While Crow is known to law enforcement, it was for a warrant out of Virginia for a minor offense in 2015.
A search for Crow started Sept. 20 with Glacier County Sheriff deputies, Flathead County Sherif deputies, Two Bear Air and Flathead County search and rescue teams, but so far, Crow has not been located.
Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino said the search is still active, though he noted the challenges of it, as the wilderness and the park are millions of acres of land.
Crow also reportedly didn’t want to be located and may have been despondent.
Anyone who may have seen Crow is asked to call 758-5600.
— Hungry Horse News