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Bypass Nears its Halfway Point

By Beacon Staff

The design and planning of the north half of the Kalispell bypass continues to move forward while a related connecting road in town now has a contractor.

On Oct. 4, the Montana Department of Transportation awarded local company LHC Inc. the contract for developing the “Hutton Ranch Connector” road, which will wind north from Hutton Ranch Road to West Reserve by the Stillwater River bridge.

The new road will be an alternative route for drivers, acting as a “traffic relieve valve,” according to Ed Toavs, the district construction engineer for the Department of Transportation.

“We needed to relieve congestion,” Toavs said. “As far as the bypass is concerned, that’s the reason we wanted to build the Hutton Ranch loop.”

Jeff Claridge of LHC said the company bid just under $3 million for the contract and will begin primary development in November. The expected completion date is late next summer, he said.

“We’re excited. It’s good winter work and gives us some backlog going into next year,” he said.

The connector road will be two lanes and will include a roundabout, Claridge said.

The bypass, also known as the U.S. 93 Alternate Route, is almost 50 percent completed and, so far, reviews are not streaming in as frequently as some would expect, Toavs said.

“We’re actually not hearing a lot. It is being traveled but comments we are hearing is that it would probably get used more if the entire segment would get built through,” he said. “As we expect, the volumes will increase as the entire bypass is built through.”

Toavs did say that some questions have been raised regarding the three roundabouts on the south section.

“Some folks really like the roundabouts. Other don’t like them as well,” he said.

The learning curve of the roundabouts mostly involves drivers being familiar with the center “truck aprons,” which are darkened inner sections of road that are raised four inches.

The truck aprons are intended for trailers and semi-trucks to track onto and make an easier turn.

“Some folks don’t know that,” Toavs said. “There’s an education need there. Other folks have said maybe you should lower that a little bit so it’s not quite a step up. That’s something I don’t have the answer too.”

Toavs also said he’s heard positive feedback about the trail system that follows the bypass route.

He would not give an estimated date of completion for the entire bypass, although transportation officials said last April that phases of the northern section could be underway for construction in 2012.

“We’re focused on the north half of bypass right now. We’re in the design and planning stage,” Toavs said. “We’re trying to move forward on designing the roadway and all of the elements that come with it.”