Roundabout eyed for Woodland, Conrad Drive intersection

The Montana Department of Transportation is working with the city of Kalispell on a proposed project to build a “mini-roundabout” at the awkward intersection of Woodland Avenue and Second Street East/Conrad Drive.

The project is a collaborative effort “to improve intersection safety” at the complicated crossroad.

“It’s not the safest of intersections,” said Project Engineer Jacquelyn Smith with the Missoula office of the Montana Department of Transportation. She emphasized the roundabout proposal is a safety project.

“There has been a lot of crashes,” she said, so the state and the city of Kalispell initiated the project to “address the crashes that were out there.”

“The purpose of the project is to reduce the frequency and severity of crashes, accommodate pedestrian and bicycle traffic, mitigate the steep grade on the east leg of the intersection, and, to the extent possible, fit the improvements within the existing intersection and right-of-way footprint,” according to a press release from Kalispell Public Information Officer Lori Ryan.

The mini-roundabout option was identified through an early feasibility study as the best improvement to address the tricky intersection near the southwest corner of Woodland Park. According to the press release, the study identified the “mini-roundabout” as “the most appropriate intersection control” option.

Smith explained the roundabout option has been tentatively selected for a few key reasons. She reiterated the project team’s desire to keep the new development within the existing infrastructure.

“Our goal is to keep it within the right of way as much as possible,” she said. “This would be the best fit because of the geometric constraints out there.”

She said the complicated configuration of the roads that feed into the intersection was another reason the Department of Transportation favors a roundabout there. In particular, she said Woodland Avenue poses traffic concerns. She said they felt “a stop condition is not ideal” at that spot on Woodland Avenue.

The proposed project would qualify as a mini-roundabout, Smith clarified, simply because it would be smaller than a major highway roundabout in order to fit into the designated space.

State safety funds would be used to pay for the project, she reported, but she said the state would not be able to estimate the potential cost of construction until a feasibility study is completed.

Smith insisted the project is “still very early” in its development. She anticipates the feasibility study may not be completed until spring 2020. “We’re not close to construction,” she pointed out.

Since the project is still in such preliminary stages, Smith made clear the decision to implement a roundabout is far from set in stone. Much will depend on the conclusions from the feasibility study.

“If [a roundabout] is not the feasible option, we may have to go back to the drawing board,” Smith confessed. She did not offer any potential alternatives to a roundabout should that option prove unfeasible.

They are seeking public comments on the proposed project and holding a public information meeting from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, at the ImagineIF Library, 247 First Ave. E. in Kalispell.

Members of the public will have the opportunity to discuss the proposed project with project team members at the meeting. The press release noted the meeting is not sponsored by the library.

“We’re looking forward to getting comments about this at the open house,” Smith said.

They received some preliminary comments when they debuted the idea at a February workshop with a few stakeholders.

“It seemed like it was received OK,” Smith reported, but she acknowledged the public is not always enthusiastic about implementing roundabouts.

“I know the public sometimes feels or gets the impression that it’s our blanket approach to build roundabouts,” Smith said. “Safety is our focus, not getting roundabouts in.”

Those interested in providing public comments on the project are encouraged to contact the MDT Missoula office or submit online comments at www.mdt.mt.gov/mdt/comment_form.shtml. The identifier for this project is UPN 9372000.

The public can also Smith at 406-444-7694 or contact Missoula District Administrator Bob Vosen at 406-523-5802.

Reporter Bret Anne Serbin may be reached at bserbin@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.