Kalispell to host open houses on downtown trail project
People will have a chance to learn about and provide input on the planned Kalispell Trail and Complete Street Project at a series of open houses June 4-8.
As part of the proposed project, the railroad tracks running through downtown Kalispell will be ripped out and replaced with a new bike and pedestrian trail. At the same time, the city plans to use the opportunity to establish another east-west transportation corridor across town, making it easier to pass from one side of the city to the other during peak traffic hours.
The series of public forums, which the city has dubbed “Deep Dive,” will give people a chance to learn more about the city’s plans and express opinions to officials and contractors the city has chosen to do the work, including Alta Planning + Design and KLJ Engineering.
Each evening a roundtable event will be held in a different location from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. On June 4 the roundtable will take place at Kalispell Brewing Company, June 5 it will be at Sun Rift Beer Company, June 6 it will be at Kalispell ImagineIf Library and June 7 it will be at the Kalispell Center Mall.
On June 4 there will also be a presentation at the City Council meeting at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall.
June 5-7 there will also be an open drop-in option available from 1 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce at 15 Depot Park.
June 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. the city will be giving public railcar tours to show a limited number of people the length of track that will go through the transition. Space is limited and reservations can be made at www.kalispellcoreandrail.com/trail--complete-street.html
On June 8 from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. there will be a design alternatives presentation, where members of the public can hear about the vision for the trail. It will be in the former Herberger’s Junior store at Kalispell Center Mall.
The goal is to have a preferred plan for the trail put together by September so contractors can work to integrate the feedback they receive with the plans they are forming. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in July of 2019.
For further information on the Kalispell Trail and Complete Street Project, contact Kalispell Planning Director Tom Jentz at tjentz@kalispell.com, project manager with Alta Planning + Design Mary Stewart at marystewart@altaplanning.com or community development assistant director Katharine Thompson King at kking@kalispell.com.
Reporter Peregrine Frissell can be reached at (406) 758-4438 or pfrissell@dailyinterlake.com.