The City of Kalispell is partnering with the Montana Department of Transportation to submit a grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for road and intersection improvements on West Reserve Drive from the west side of the intersection at Hutton Ranch Road to the east side of the intersection at Whitefish Stage Road. The public is invited to two open house events on Thursday, April 7, to learn more about the proposed project and the grant application. The public is invited to drop in to an open house to review supporting information, maps and images of the project area, and a draft application, though no formal presentation will be provided. The two open house events will include the same information and are intended to offer schedule flexibility and convenience to attendees. The public is also encouraged to provide public comment on the grant request at the April 4, 2022, City Council meeting where the Council will consider a Resolution in support of this grant application. Public comment on this grant application and letters of support can also be sent to publiccomment@kalispell.com.
Grant Details
The City will request $25 million for the estimated $33 million project cost. MDT funds would be paired with grant funds to complete the project. The West Reserve Drive Corridor Planning Study completed October 2021 provides much of the data and identified improvement options serving as the basis for the grant request. The U.S. Department of Transportation Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program has replaced the BUILD and TIGER grant programs. The grant program is funded by the Local and Regional Project Assistance Program in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“Bipartisan Infrastructure Law”). The RAISE grant application is due April 14, 2022, and USDOT expects to announce grant awards mid-August 2022.
Recommended Improvements
The recommended improvements from the study would include widening the road from 3 to 5 lanes, including Stillwater Bridge; add 6’ landscape boulevards with 8’shared use path on the north and 5’ sidewalk on the south. Improvements would have the following benefits:
- Reduce the frequency and severity of crashes for all users, in support of MDT’s Vision Zero Goal
- Accommodate existing and future travel demands, therefore reducing travel times and emissions
- Improve intersection operations and levels of service
- Improve non-motorized travel options and safety
- Employ travel demand management strategies
Get Involved
The public open house events will take place Thursday, April 7, 2022, from 11 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 6 pm at the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce Conference Room located at 15 Depot Park Loop, Kalispell. The City looks forward to sharing the details of this grant request to make much needed road and intersection improvements on West Reserve Drive. Public comment on this grant application and letters of support can be sent to publiccomment@kalispell.com.
