Slimmed down Main Street the right path forward

A transformative vision to put Kalispell’s Main Street on an oh, oh, oh Ozempic-like diet program has some residents howling, “oh, oh, oh no!”  

City Council adopted the Main Street Safety Action Plan last summer, which suggests reducing the downtown thoroughfare to three lanes — a traffic calming tactic known as a “road diet.”  

Now, councilors appear ready to move forward with the concept and apply for a $25 million federal grant that would fund a redesign of Main Street, along with First Avenue East and First Avenue West.  

The plan shows Main Street with single north and southbound lanes, along with a dedicated left-turn lane. Sidewalks up to 10 feet wide would allow for benches and space for restaurants to put out amenities like tables. Parallel parking would still exist on both sides of the street, so no spaces would be lost.  

The idea is to improve safety in the high-crash downtown area — more than 375 in a four-year period studied — while also making the stretch more walkable and attractive for storefront and dining activity.  

Admittedly, the renderings are jarring. Implementation would represent a seismic change for the downtown core, and understandably, some residents aren’t convinced. They rightly worry about four lanes of U.S. 93 bottlenecking into a slim and trim Main Street and the unintended consequences it may have on traffic patterns and peripheral streets that abut residential neighborhoods.  

The Federal Highway Administration lays out the positives and negatives of a road diet, and on the downsides are reduced traffic capacity, issues with snow removal and ongoing maintenance — all challenges worth consideration.  

But big results often call for bold ideas, and the net gain of this plan is far more valuable than the trade-offs of altered traffic habits and snow plowing strategy.  

This concept, coupled with visionary plans for the mall property and Parkline Trail, represents a long-term commitment to accelerating the vitality of Kalispell’s historic downtown.  

Study after study shows that road diets and improved pedestrian infrastructure not only drastically reduce crashes by calming traffic — up to 47% fewer in some cases — but they also enhance the overall quality of life for all residents.  

In fact, the Federal Highway Administration encourages projects focused on livability because they are proven to increase community connectivity and expand economic development and revitalization. Not to mention improved public health by spurring more walking and biking, which in turn reduces traffic.  

Main Street pines for this type of innovative change that will attract locals and visitors alike to a vibrant, walkable downtown with more retail, culinary and nightlife offerings. What’s more, the potential commerce boost will mostly benefit locally owned businesses, which means more of their dollars go back into the local community.   

While the transportation plan isn’t a magic bullet, it’s a giant first step in achieving this overall vision. A public hearing is scheduled for May 19 at 7 p.m. in City Hall. Let Council know why a road diet is the healthy choice for downtown Kalispell’s longevity.