Kalispell City Council set to decide on Main Street Safety Action Plan

Kalispell City Council will consider adopting the Main Street Safety Action Plan and weigh funding of recommended traffic safety projects during its regular meeting Monday.  

Council meets in City Hall, 201 First Ave. E. at 7 p.m. 

Developed by the city in partnership with contractor Kittleson and Associates Inc., the plan is aimed at boosting traffic safety primarily on the U.S. 93 Main Street corridor. If passed, it will be added to the municipality’s MOVE 2040 Transportation Plan previously prepared by KLJ Engineering. 

“The plan establishes a vision and goals for transportation safety, identify[ing] high-crash, high-risk intersectional and streets through data analysis and community input,” wrote Kalispell Development Services Director Jarod Nygren in a memo to Council.  

The traffic safety plan received funds in 2022 through the U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Roads for All Planning Grant, a program established under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.   

Kittleson and Associates held an open house in March, inviting the public to help identify problem spots using a city map and color codes for various hazards. A public hearing was held in July to solicit public comment on the proposed plan. Nygren wrote that extensive public outreach occurred over the past six months.  

City officials and the consulting firm recommended that Council prioritize improvements to Main Street and First Avenue East and West to address bicycle and pedestrian crashes. Staff also recommended that traffic safety construction on Oregon Street and Fifth Avenue West be considered for funding.  

The projects would include curb extensions, high visibility crosswalks, mini roundabouts and leading pedestrian control improvements, according to the memo. The projects would be funded through grant programs.  

Nygren wrote that if the grants were awarded, several would require a 20% local match in funding.   

ALSO ON the agenda, Council is poised to hire Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services as part of its consent agenda. The consulting firm is expected to advise the city on its biosolids treatment disposal project, according to a memo from Public Works Director Susie Turner.  

Out of several possible hires for the task, the selection committee concluded that the firm could meet the 11 requirements advertised by City Hall. Those included performing engineering analyses, creating engineering designs, and participating in Council workshops and public meetings.   

The city has budgeted $1.8 million for consultation on the project, according to the memo.  

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at junderhill@dailyinterlake.com and 758-4497.