The Swan River Road path project took a step forward on May 7, when the Flathead County Commission decided on a company to build the pathway, which should be under construction by mid May.
Sandry Construction Company, Inc., which has offices in Bigfork and Spokane, was awarded the project after the county accepted the company’s $201,031 bid.
The entire cost of the project, which includes the design and construction of a 1.5-mile, hard-surfaced bike and pedestrian path, was initially estimated at $300,000 in 2012.
The county requested nearly $260,000 in federal Community Transportation Enhancement Program (CTEP) funds, with the Bigfork Rotary Club responsible for the $40,000 match.
The proposed trail would run from Lee Road – which is near Montana Highway 83 around Echo Lake Café and Swan River School – to Williams Lane, connecting two existing paths.
According to project documentation, Sandry Construction will be responsible for excavation, embankment construction, a retaining wall, placing base gravel, paving the path, adding fencing, minor drainage, and landscaping along the proposed path.
Mark Sandry, owner of Sandry Construction, said construction on the path is expected to begin on May 18, and should take about a month.