Fifth Avenue West in Kalispell to close for paving project

A portion of Fifth Avenue West will again close to traffic this week as the Kalispell Street Department paves the busy stretch of roadway as part of a sewer and water main relocation project.

The paving work will occur between Center and Railroad streets, officials with the Public Works Department said. It is expected to begin and end on Thursday, May 25.

Full road closures, with no through traffic access, will be in place from the Kalispell Center Mall entrance to Center Street on Fifth Avenue West North. Officials ask that motorists refrain from cutting through the mall parking lot to circumvent the closure.

City crews have performed work at that stretch of Fifth Avenue West several times over the past two months. The efforts have been aimed at bringing the water main there into compliance with environmental standards following the installation of a sewer main as part of the nearby Silo Apartments redevelopment project.

The work coincides with a separate water and sewer main replacement on East Montana Street, between Fourth Avenue East North and Seventh Avenue East North, and on Seventh Avenue East North, south of East Idaho Street. That work was scheduled to begin May 24.

Access will be maintained to properties within the detour and closure, but travelers are encouraged to adjust their routes and travel times accordingly and should expect reduced speed limits, flaggers, and delays, according to Public Works.

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