Future of Canyon bike path looking brighter

Provided Congress passes a federal highway bill in the coming months, a dedicated bike path has been approved that will run from the U.S. 2 bridge over the Flathead River to the fishing access site west of Bad Rock Canyon.

Part of a proposed dedicated bike path from Columbia Falls to Glacier National Park, the Columbia Falls section will benefit from a federal lands access program grant, Montana Department of Transportation district administrator Ed Toavs said. If received, the grant will total nearly $600,000, with about $90,000 in matching funds from the state.

The bike path would run along the south side of U.S. 2 to Highway 206, cross U.S. 2 and then continue along the west side of U.S. 2. The existing sidewalk in Columbia Heights would be widened to 10 feet, and a dedicated bike path would continue toward Bad Rock Canyon where the sidewalk currently ends, Toavs explained. Assuming a federal highway bill passes, construction would start in 2017.

A new eight-mile section of the Canyon bike path will be built this summer from Coram to West Glacier. That project entailed years of fundraising by the Gateway to Glacier Trail group and community support to raise the necessary matching grants for the nearly $800,000 project.

A dedicated 10-foot wide bike path and pedestrian walkway will be included with the new two-lane bridge MDT is planning for the South Fork of the Flathead River, just downstream of the existing bridge in Hungry Horse.

The bridge project, slated to start in 2017, with final design work completed this year, also includes improvements to U.S. 2 as far as the first curve east of Bad Rock Canyon. Currently there is no timeline for improving U.S. 2 through the narrow portions of the canyon, Toavs said, but it is a high priority.

The goal is to eventually have a continuous bike path from Columbia Falls to Glacier Park. The route is very popular with bicyclists in summer, but biking through Bad Rock Canyon is treacherous.

The Gateway to Glacier Trail group continues to raise funds for the project, director Sarah Dakin said. The group is still pursuing a plan to build a second path along the Flathead River to the path at Bad Rock Canyon. Dakin said the group has had talks with Glencore, owner of the Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. smelter, and while nothing has been finalized, Glencore has been willing to talk about the possibility.

“We’re looking at making a loop,” Dakin said.

The group also needs to raise funds for trail maintenance and will look to raise funds for a pullout where people can park their cars.