Page 12 - Flathead Beacon // 12.9.15

NEWS
Massive Transportation Projects Moving Forward in Kalispell Construction of highway bypass progressing through December; rail park poised for spring groundbreaking
BY DILLON TABISH OF THE BEACON
Over the next 12 months, one major transportation project will conclude and another will break ground in Kalispell, ushering in signi cant changes that could rip- ple throughout the community.
Crews with LHC, a locally based contractor, are making progress on the U.S. 93 Alternate Route and will continue work through December thanks to favorable weather conditions, according to project o cials.
The nal phase of the long-awaited bypass broke ground in October and crews have been busy construct- ing 4.5 miles of road from West Reserve Drive near Gla- cier High School to Foys Lake Road.
Crews hope to complete the bypass by fall 2016.
While one transformative project approaches com- pletion, another is preparing to launch.
The Glacier Rail Park, an industrial park for rail- served businesses, is poised to break ground in spring. Crews will begin grading the former 40-acre gravel pit o White sh Stage Road that stretches to East Oregon Lane near U.S. Highway 2.
Initial construction will include the installation of water and sewer utilities at the rail park, as well as a lev- eling of the construction site.
The rail park is moving full steam ahead following the announcement that Kalispell and Flathead County
Crews are making progress on the U.S. 93 Alternate Route.BEACON FILE PHOTO Economic Development Authority, which is spearhead-
ing the rail park project, would receive a $10 million fed- eral transportation grant to help drive a sprawling rede- velopment plan through the city.
The city’s plan, in conjunction with FCEDA’s creation of the rail park, envisions replacing the railroad tracks in downtown with a trail system and reconnecting dis- jointed streets near Kalispell Center Mall. The redevel- opment plan comes with an estimated price tag of $21 million.
The federal grant can only be used for transportation projects, such as the development of the rail park.
CHS Kalispell has already agreed to consolidate its operations from three locations across downtown to a new site in the rail park.
FCEDA has agreed to build a new facility that CHS will lease in the rail park in exchange for the three properties: the 3.81-acre fertilizer plant and gas sta- tion on Third Avenue Northeast near Smiths; the 1.6- acre grain elevator site on West Center Street; and the 41,000-square-foot gas station and o ce on West Idaho Street. FCEDA will clean up and sell the three proper- ties after the acquisition, according to Kim Morisaki, FCEDA project manager.
Morisaki said CHS is not receiving any further pay- ments or funding for its move to the rail park.
The rail park could be fully built by summer 2017. CHS Montana and all of its local operations could also be fully moved into the new site by then. The removal of the tracks and the creation of a trail system could be completed by summer 2018.
Morisaki said she is focused on nding three other tenants for the rail park. There are two 5-acre lots and one 10-acre lot that will be available when the site is completed, and she hopes to nd a manufacturing busi- ness that is interested in relocating to Kalispell. The lots are for sale at 40 cents per square foot with full infra- structure, including rail, built into the site, she noted.
dtabish@ atheadbeacon.com
Lower Snowpack Results in Softer Opening Day
More than 2,200 skiers and riders head to White sh Mountain Resort on Dec 5; more snow in forecast
BY JUSTIN FRANZ OF THE BEACON
O cials at White sh Mountain Resort have a mes- sage for skiers and riders hoping for powder days: Keep praying.
The ski resort opened for its 68th winter season on Saturday, Dec. 5, but a low snowpack meant only the backside of Big Mountain was open to skiers and riders. Spokesperson Riley Polumbus said about 2,200 people came on opening day, down from 3,700 in 2014. The big- gest opening day crowd on record came in 2010, when 3,566 people visited the resort.
Polumbus said o cials were not surprised by the low turnout. Only ve lifts and seven trails were open and skiers and riders had to download on Chair 1.
On Dec. 7, the resort was reporting a 26-inch base at the summit, but more snow is in the forecast. Polumbus estimated that the resort will need more than one snow- storm before skiers and riders can start coasting down the front side of the resort.
“It all depends on what the next storm does. Fin- gers crossed we get a lot more snow,” she said. “Every- one needs to keep praying for snow and doing their snow dances.”
Despite the lack of snow, visitors were able to check out the newly refurbished Summit House and Ski Patrol Headquarters, both of which were renovated this sum- mer. More than $1.5 million in improvements were made to the resort in the past year.
Blacktail Mountain in Lakeside and Turner Moun- tain in Libby had not announced opening dates as of Dec. 7, but typically open in mid-December.
For the latest information on White sh Mountain Resort, visit www.skiwhite sh.com.
jfranz@ atheadbeacon.com
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DECEMBER 9, 2015 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM