East 2nd Street reconstruction to begin in March

Road closures and one-way traffic will be the norm next summer for residents along East Second Street as the roadway is rebuilt from Larch Avenue east to the railroad tracks.

The $2.4 million project is expected to begin in early March and continue through September.

The grade of the hill east of the Armory Road intersection will be reduced and a bike path will be built on the south side of the street. Work includes clearing brush and trees, replacement of water, sewer and storm drain facilities, construction of a bike path, new street lighting, and new pavement with curb and gutter.

Most of the reconstruction will be paid for with resort tax revenue, but state Community Transportation Enhancement Program money will pay for the bike path.

Robert Peccia and Associates are engineers on the project.

Phase II of the project, which includes the majority of work, will begin in June.

During that time, Armory Road will remain open to two-way traffic. From Armory to Dodger Lane, traffic will be restricted to one-way local access only. No pedestrians will be allowed in the construction zone.

A 14-day road closure is planned at Cow Creek and a separate 21-day closure is planned at the railroad tracks.

Work crews will not be allowed to use Wedgewood Lane or Birch Drive during construction.

Access to the WAG dog park will be available from Armory Road.

Whitefish City Council on Oct. 7 voted 5-1 to move forward with construction bids for the reconstruction project. John Anderson was the lone vote against.