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Key Organizations Come Together to Support Expansion of Kalispell U.S. 93 Alternate Route

The U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding $1.5 billion in discretionary grants through the new Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) federal grant program. Awards will be given to projects that will have a "significant local or regional impact" and the Montana Department of Transportation is sponsoring the expansion of the Kalispell Bypass as one of the two projects for the entire state that they will put forth toward the application for the grant funding.

The City of Kalispell, Flathead County, Montana Department of Transportation, and Kalispell Chamber of Commerce have all come together to work congruently and develop a competitive application for the award estimated between $12-15 million.

For the 25 year period from 1990 to 2015, Flathead County was in the top ten percent of fastest growing counties in the nation. Additionally, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Kalispell was the third fastest growing micropolitan area in the U.S. for the period 2016 to 2017. Evident in the consistent rise in regional tourism visitation, record attendees at Glacier National Park, and Kalispell’s prominence as the regional trade center for Northwest Montana, undue traffic congestion and traffic impediments in and around the county has been noticeable.

The U.S. 93 Alternate Route, or Bypass, was originally accepted by the City of Kalispell and Flathead County in a 1994 Final Environmental Impact Study as part of regional improvements to the highway to better move traffic from the south end of Kalispell to the north. In 2010 the two lanes of the southern half of the bypass were completed, but thereafter, with the steady rise of traffic counts and population density, MDT recognized the route was ineffective and acquired all of the necessary right-of-way to construct a full, four-lane bypass. In 2016 the four-lane northern portion of the Bypass was completed.

Expanding the southern half of the Bypass would include the removal of current roundabouts, widening the surface to four lanes, and improving access via full interchanges, overpasses, and access ramps in four locations. The project would provide additional safety and quality of life improvements by alleviating traffic from local streets and furthering the intent to establish downtown Kalispell initiatives focused on localized traffic. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Transportation intends to award a greater share of BUILD funding to projects in rural areas, making the expansion of the Kalispell U.S. 93 Alternate Route, or Bypass, an ideal project.

Both the City of Kalispell and Flathead County have adopted resolutions supporting MDT’s application for the BUILD grant, and the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce completed a letter of support, which was accompanied by the signatures of 551 businesses, elected officials, and individuals. All three organizations, in tandem with MDT, are working to complete the BUILD grant application for the July 19 deadline. A similar letter was written and signed by thirteen Montana State Senators and Representatives.

On July 10, the Kalispell Chamber will host an Open House in its conference room from 11:00am to 2:00pm and 5:00pm to 7:00pm and encourages the public to stop in to see potential plans for the bypass expansion and add their personal input.

For more information, please contact any of the representatives listed below:

City of Kalispell

Doug Russell, City Manager

(406) 758-7703

Montana Department of Transportation

Ed Toavs, Missoula District Administrator

(406) 523-5802

Flathead County

Mike Pence, County Administrator

(406) 758-5501

Kalispell Chamber of Commerce

Joe Unterreiner, President/CEO

(406) 758-2804

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The Kalispell Chamber of Commerce is the longest-standing and leading advocate for the Flathead Valley community and business climate.

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