Kalispell plans major water main work this summer

The city of Kalispell plans to replace a section of water main and reconstruct the street on Fourth Avenue East this summer.

The Kalispell City Council summarized the plans and took questions from the public in a Feb. 23 meeting.

The project will replace 14 blocks of water main on Fourth Avenue East from Center Street to 14th Street East and one block of water main on 14th Street East from Third Avenue East to Fourth Avenue East, according to Kalispell’s senior civil engineer Keith Haskins.

Haskins said that the water mains and services have undergone nine repairs in the last three years.

According to Haskins, the current water main is almost 100 years old and consists of cast-iron piping that is susceptible to corrosion. The mains also have faulty valves that do not meet today’s standards and outdated lead lines that connect to the street’s fire hydrants.

Construction is expected to begin in May and end in October 2017.

Prior to construction, Third Avenue East will be converted into a two-way street to accommodate traffic rerouted from Fourth Avenue East.

The new main will be built parallel to the old main, allowing the current main to stay in service during construction.

Hours of construction will normally be from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and access to properties on Fourth Avenue East will be restored by the end of each workday and on weekends unless otherwise specified.

Upon the completion of construction, both Fourth Avenue East and Third Avenue East will permanently become two-way roads.

Haskins estimated the project will cost about $4 million, but said this is not a final or official estimate. The city will use a state revolving fund loan to finance the project.

Haskins said he hopes the project design will be complete soon and anticipates a design review and approval in March.

The city is set to begin advertising for bids on the contract and to approve the contract in April.

For more information on this or other public works projects or to watch the presentation of this project, visit http://kalispell.com/public_works/.

Reporter Mary Cloud Taylor can be reached at 758-4459 or mtaylor@dailyinterlake.com.