Montana Department of Transportation Director Jim Lynch told the Kalispell City Council last week he expects to have the southern portion of the long-awaited Kalispell Alternate Route open to traffic Nov. 17. When vehicles begin traveling the route from U.S. Highway 93, south of the city to U.S. Highway 2 on Kalispell’s west side, it will mark a major step forward for a project that has been in the works for nearly two decades.
But though progress on this southern portion has been swift, the total build out of the 7.6-mile long alternate route, or “bypass” as it was once known, still has a long way to go.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s been accomplished so far, and the challenges that remain.
Right-of-Way Purchases
MDT has so far bought 139 pieces of property, at a total cost of roughly $32 million to make way for the route construction. According to Lynch, eight parcels remain to be purchased – five along U.S. Highway 2 and three along West Reserve Drive – at an appraised value of $2 million.
“There’s a tremendous amount of work that goes into a project before you can even get it built, and this is $32 million that went into your community,” Lynch told the council. “We have not had to go to condemnation with any private property owners.”
Contractors
Crews from the following four construction firms spent the summer building the southern portion: Knife River and Ames Construction on the actual roadway, LHC, Inc. on widening of U.S. Highway 2 West and Schellinger Construction built the bike path that will run the entire length of the alternate route.
And though Utah-based Ames came under some criticism when it won the bid on the job, as opposed to a local firm, Lynch told the council Ames employed many valley residents on the project.
“Ames Construction did live up to their promise and did hire an awful lot of local contractors,” Lynch said. “It was a tremendous boost for the Flathead Valley contractors.”
Funding
• Total estimated project cost for full route, four lanes, with interchanges at U.S. 2, Airport Road and Foys Lake Road: $162 million
• Total estimated cost for “interim” two-lane route: $108.5 million
• Total Congressional funding going back to 2002: $83.4 million
• Amount from American Reinvestment and Recovery or “stimulus” Act: $21 million
• Remaining funds available: $1.8 million
• Shortfall needed to complete “interim” two-lane route: $34.6 million
• Shortfall needed to complete full route, with four lanes and interchanges: $54 million
What’s Next?
“We’re still going to talk about the importance of it to our federal partners in Washington D.C.,” Lynch said. “This is an example of earmarks we need.”
The next phase of alternate route construction will be the north portion, with two lanes. When that’s completed, Lynch aims to have all the right of ways purchased to be able to expand the route to four lanes and build the interchanges. Part of the project also includes a road running behind Walmart in the Hutton Ranch Plaza, north to West Reserve, to relieve congestion at the intersection of West Reserve and U.S. Highway 93. Construction may also begin this spring on a pedestrian tunnel near the Kidsports Complex, where 4-Mile Drive meets U.S. 93, so children traveling to and from the playing fields wouldn’t have to cross the highway.
As for how fast drivers can go on the new route, Lynch said MDT plans to set an interim speed of 50 miles per hour.