Drivers can expect delays as construction on West Reserve Drive picks back up

Motorists should brace for delays as construction along West Reserve Drive in Kalispell kicks back into gear later this month.  

The project to widen the major thoroughfare between Hutton Ranch Road and Whitefish Stage Road began in the fall of 2024 and is expected to wrap up by November 2026, according to a Tuesday announcement from the Montana Department of Transportation.  

Improvements — meant to address increased traffic — entail expanding West Reserve Drive from three to five lanes along with a center turn lane and shared-use path. The bridge over the Stillwater River will boast sidewalks as well.  

The street’s intersections with Hutton Ranch Road and Whitefish Stage Road will receive dedicated turn lanes, new traffic signals and concrete surfacing. The signals currently installed will remain active until the turn lanes are complete. Motorists can anticipate up to 15-minute delays, officials said. 

Construction will occur between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., and drivers should plan for lane configuration changes and reduced speed limits.  

Completion was originally slated for the fall of 2025, but the timeline has since been pushed back. The project in 2022 received a $25 million grant from a program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law enacted during the Biden administration. 

The state Department of Transportation is spearheading the effort in partnership with the city of Kalispell, Schellinger Construction and DJ&A Engineering. 

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 406-758-4407 or junderhill@dailyinterlake.com.  If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.