Kalispell City Council weighs new shared-use and bike paths

Kalispell City Council held a work session discussing potential investment in pedestrian, bicycle and shared-use paths Monday evening.

City Manager Doug Russell led the Jan. 9 discussion and read from the bicycle and pedestrian system chapter of Kalispell’s broader transportation plan, which was completed in 2021 by engineering firm KLJ. The report proposes a variety of path types that could improve pedestrian and bicycle access and safety, and grades them with a priority-based score.

Russell pointed out that two of the report’s highest-priority recommendations — the core area Parkline Trail and safe bike access along West Reserve Drive — have either been completed or funded and ready for work to begin.

Russell said that while the paths are part of a proposed network, it is up to Council — and eventually Kalispell voters — to decide on project priorities and funding mechanisms for construction and maintenance.

Russell mentioned that such projects could be funded through taxes, federal or state funds, or a combination via potential matching grants. Another option could include long-term bonds issued by the city.

He recommended that any approved projects include sources of continuing funding for maintenance work, including plowing paths to ensure that they are usable year-round.

Russell said that the city has been maintaining the Parkline Trail this winter and is gathering data on the cost. That information could help officials determine the price tag associated with maintaining an expanded trail network, he said.

Councilor Sam Nunnally praised the report’s scoring matrix and recommendations.

“Some of these things we do need,” Nunnally said. “We’ve needed them in our community for a while.”

Fellow Councilor Ryan Hunter also stressed the importance of protected bike lanes and traffic calming measures to protect cyclists like himself.

Kalispell residents present at the meeting spoke to the need for expanded sidewalks, particularly in the city’s older residential areas. Richard Hall said the sidewalk outside his home is in disrepair. His road has been resurfaced at least twice since 1984, but the sidewalk has been untouched, he said.

“My sidewalk [is dated 1916],” Hall said. “You’d think in some time they could have redone that.”

Marty Flores called in to say that he prefers commuting and doing errands by bike and spoke in support of expanding access. He expressed that removing unnecessary vehicle traffic was a priority.

Julie Tickle, program coordinator for DREAM adaptive recreation, asked Council to apply universal design principles when considering new paths, allowing for broader access for people with mobility challenges. Tickle offered her organization’s expertise when it came to designing a network.

“Everyone should have access to these pathways,” Tickle said.

Council will weigh individual projects and costs as part of the springtime budgeting sessions, and could then put a proposal before voters.

Council gathers for its next scheduled meeting Tuesday, Jan. 17, taking Monday off to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Reporter Adrian Knowler can be reached at 758-4407 or aknowler@dailyinterlake.com.