Kalispell City Council to schedule public hearing on Main Street overhaul
Council meets at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 201 First Ave. E.
If approved, a hearing will be held on May 19 at 7 p.m. in City Hall, where residents can voice opinions on the long-planned project. Following the hearing, Council will decide whether to apply for a federal grant to cover the majority of the project.
The Main Street Safety Action Plan was adopted by Council in August and identified high-risk, high-crash intersections and streets in downtown Kalispell.
Council prioritized Main Street, First Avenue East and First Avenue West for upgrades to the tune of $27 million. Changes include widening sidewalks and installing pedestrian safety measures on all three roads.
Roundabouts would also be built at the intersection of Main Street and 11th Street West and the intersection of Main Street with 13th Street East and Airport Road.
But the most notable transformation is the reduction of Main Street to two lanes of traffic, with a dedicated left turn lane.
Lane reduction, also known as a road diet, is a widely used, low-cost practice meant to enhance safety and access for road users, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Road diets have been found to reduce crashes by 19% to 47%.
Councilors held a work session on the project on April 28, with all seemingly in favor of moving forward with the upgrades despite some public comment from Kalispell residents criticizing the plan as unnecessary.
The federal dollars that Council is looking to tap into come from the Safe Streets for All Implementation Grant program, which historically doles out $25 million, requiring a 20% match.
The discretionary grant program was established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law by former President Joe Biden and has since been challenged by the Trump administration.
AS CITY Hall heads into budget season, the Parks and Recreation Department is requesting approval to make across-the-board fee increases to youth programs and park reservations.
Rising operational costs, including wages and supplies, are precipitating the price hikes, according to a memo from Parks and Recreation Director Chad Fincher.
If adopted, it would mean a roughly 8% to 20% increase in program fees for activities like the Harry Potter and Outdoor Adventure camps.
The price hikes also take into account Kalispell Public School District 5 considering charging for the use of its facilities. The two entities have historically relied on an informal agreement where each use the other's facilities for free.
The move would affect after-school programs, camps and indoor sports, according to Fincher's memo.
Asking for fee increases is not unusual, though. The Department typically comes before Council every two to three years.
COUNCIL WILL also decide on hiring Strods Contracting to build a sidewalk on Four Mile Drive connecting the KidSports Complex with the existing shared-use path.
The city was awarded a federal grant for the project back in 2023, but the Montana Department of Transportation just recently allocated funds and authorized construction.
Council is expected to hire the contracting firm for slightly over $1 million. The federal grant is expected to cover about 86% of the cost. Around $28,000 would be drawn from the city's general fund, according to a city memo.
The state Department of Transportation, meanwhile, is aiming to get the green light from Council on a new multi-use building in North Kalispell.
The agency is requesting annexation of the 9-acre plot of land into the city, initial zoning of P-1 (public) and a conditional use permit to allow for the facility located at 2905 U.S. 93 N., which is currently being used as a maintenance yard.
The proposal was recommended to Council by the Planning Commission after an April 8 public hearing.
The proposed 28,400-square-foot building would be used to store equipment and be fitted with mechanics and welding shops under one roof. The state transpiration agency has a welding and mechanics shop on Fifth Avenue East North, which will be relocated to the new building.
The Kalispell Ford dealership and firearms manufacturing company, Falkor Defense sit across the street from the property along with the new Stillwater Bend subdivision nearby.
The conditional use permit calls for a road connection from Rose Crossing north to Quail Lane. The private road that runs along the north side of the property and onto the highway will see southbound turns restricted.
COUNCIL WILL also vote on a request to extend the preliminary plat of a 60-lot residential subdivision on Three Mile Drive.
Called Aspen Creek West, the subdivision is planned to include 31 single-family homes and 29 townhomes on about 20 acres.
The preliminary plat was originally approved in July 2022, but will expire this July, prompting the request for the two-year extension.
Construction was originally planned to finish in Fall 2024, but contractor availability and procurement of construction materials pushed completion into 2025, according to a letter from developer 520 Three Mill Drive Associates to the city.
Reporter Jack Underhill may be reached at 758-4407 or junderhill@dailyinterlake.com.
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