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What’s Happening Archive
With two official bodies now setting their sights on bike and pedestrian path progress, the city of Whitefish may just enjoy two types of trails: an urban system and a backcountry system. And if current negotiations culminate as expected, those two entities will merge to create an incredible Whitefish trail system. Under the leadership of the organization “A Trail Runs Through It”, a master plan for trails through the surrounding state trust lands has been created and approved by the group’s advisory committee. With trails through open space and pristine backcountry, the trail system is quickly getting the nickname ‘the rural trail system’.
While Fish Trails still heads up private fundraising on behalf of the Whitefish system (which is nicknamed the ‘urban trail system’), recent talks may lead to a merger between the two entities. The hope is that by joining forces, more fundraising and more trail construction can be accomplished.
The lines of communications have always been present, with representatives from the city and Fish Trails serving on A Trail Runs Through It committees, but this summer brought a series of events that solidified the potential merger.
First and foremost, the city of Whitefish approached the Department of Natural Resources and the Land Board with a management agreement that means the two trails would fall under city maintenance and management. Because they lack the full time staff and funding to man any trails they create, this agreement was welcomed by A Trail Runs Through It, particularly because the city’s management gives stock to the value of the surrounding state trust lands as an asset for all of Whitefish.
“The management agreement is precedence setting, it recognizes state trust land as value and as high priority,” A Trail Runs Through It representative Steve Thompson explained.
Thompson hopes that city participation will increase the purchase of recreation use passes, the $10 yearly pass are required of recreation users of state trust lands. And proceeds from the sale of passes could also provide funding for trail construction.
Michael Gougen’s proposed land swap on Beaver Lake land means that while that particular trail system would be paid for, A Trail Runs Through It needs help providing long-term maintenance.
The work has just begun on the possible merger, and lots of items need to be worked out, but both entities hope to add to the momentum generated by this summer’s state trust land trail mapping, completed by A Trail Runs Through It. Fish Trails mapping has been complete for some time now. The two trails will merge on Big Mountain and along U.S. 93 near Spencer Lake.
“We’d like to keep the momentum going,” Thompson added.
Now that the planning process is complete, the real work of fundraising officially starts. Let’s hope that these two entities can join forces to tackle that goal.
A complete map of the Fish Trails’ system is available on their website, www.fishtrails.info. A complete map of A Trail Runs Through It’s master plan is available on their website, www.trailrunsthroughit.org.
Bike Path Updates to be completed by beginning of November: Colorado Avenue section A Fish Trail’s bike/pedestrian path will grace the new road along Colorado Avenue before winter sets in. The trail will connect Edgewood Ave. (where Colorado Ave. starts) almost to Crestwood. The project is due to wrap up by the end of October and will add just over one-half of a mile to Fish Trails.
JP Road section
Though small, the section measures just over 1,000 feet, this section will connect the U.S. 93 corridor with the Rocksund section (a most scenic section along the Whitefish River) and the River Lakes development to the soccer fields and new North Valley Hospital section. The trail is part of the subdivision development being built on the former Par 3 golf course and in front of Riverside Assisted Living.
The following projects are under design or under construction:
With almost 3 miles of new trail waiting for dedication, the fall of 2007 will be an exciting time for Fish Trails progress.
Wisconsin Avenue
With last spring’s storm water easement issues and power pole positioning impasses settled like so many summer memories, construction plans for Wisconsin Avenue are proceeding along at a steady clip. Montana Department of Transportation plans to advertise for construction bids this coming November—construction will start in early spring (depending on the weather) and will be conclude by that following fall. Spring rains are likely to cause the majority of delays, but come summer sun, trail construction will be going full force.
The pace of bike trail construction is decidedly speedier than the street construction that we have become accustomed, so prepare for quick moving crews. The City of Whitefish will be working with local business owners to minimize disruption and economic impacts, consequently progress may not be sequential, though it will be rapid.
“We’ll try to be out of people’s way as much as possible,” assured City Engineer Karin Hilding, “Bike path construction is faster than street construction. With bike path construction you move right along [instead of staying in one place and adding layers of infrastructure].”
Look for a massive fall celebration to mark the conclusion of construction along this 2-mile section of trail.
Second St. to Armory Road section
This trail will run along the south side of Second St. from Cow Creek to Armory Road. Design is underway for this essential trail section that will give kids bike and walking access to the Armory/Skateboard Park and greatly improve overall safety for our children. The goal is to build the project next summer and complete work by late summer.
Edgewood to Texas
This section is currently being designed and will connect the north side of the viaduct to Texas Avenue. This trail system will also set the stage for connecting outlying rural areas along the BNSF rail line. The goal is to build the project next summer, with a late summer completion date.
Riverside at Whitefish Trail
This trail will be designed and built in conjunction with a river front trail next to Riverside at Whitefish, which will extend the scenic Rocksund section to the sports field complex. The goal is to begin construction next summer, with a late summer completion date, although right of way issues along the pond and eastern sections of the trail may cause minor delays.
Riverside Bridge to Seventh Street on Karrow Avenue
This project is also known as the West Seventh Street Trail. Preliminary design is already underway. Right of way and space issues pose some problems, which will be solved if city council chooses to reconstruct Seventh Street next summer. The goal is build the project next summer, with a late summer completion date.
Bridge over Rocksund Trail/Rocksund Monegan Trail
This project includes a bridge at the south end of the trail and the path will continue north across city owned land to Monegan Road at the southeast corner of the Bridgewater subdivision. Because the bridge spans a waterway, permitting and the overall process may be cumbersome. The goal is to start the project next summer, but permit issues for the bridge may cause delays.
Construction Update for the Wisconsin Avenue Bike Path 25-30 people gathered to inspect aerial photos and ask questions about the longest stretch of bike path to come our way: the Wisconsin Avenue section. Bids are scheduled for April and May, and official construction is slated to start in May or June, depending on the weather. The construction is estimated to last 60 working days (approximately 2 ½ months). Curious citizens expressed excitement and some trepidation about traffic along the thoroughfare. Because the path is off the road, the Montana Department of Transportation expects that both lanes of traffic will remain open during the entirety of construction. Assistant city engineer Karin Hilding allayed other community fears with a timeline that is abbreviated compared to major road construction. Impact estimates are a mere one to two days at each property. “Compared to street projects, bike paths move along very quickly,” Hilding explained. Business concerns got special attention as both the city and the contractor plan to work with business owners in order to further reduce residual economic effects. Plans are already in place to help with public relations and to work with the specific schedules whenever possible. “We’ll try to keep driveways and approaches open and coordinate with people as best as we can. The most important thing is to coordinate with businesses,” Hilding asserted. The schedule for construction starts with storm drain installation from the viaduct through to Colorado Avenue. The lines will run under the bike path. General construction will continue out to Houston Point. Grading materials will follow and paving will complete the 8’- 10’ path. The $1.4 million state project cost the city $675,000, with the state picking up the remaining $725,000. Other questions included safety concerns at the Stumptown Ice Den crossing and mailbox placement in the post-path era. Because MDOT will only put flashing lights up after pedestrian traffic patterns have been established, the west to east Ice Den crossing will be marked with regular crossing and warning signs, though Hilding hopes to improve that situation. A boulevard will provide a new home for relocated mailboxes wherever possible, though some will be repositioned behind the bike path. Some citizens requested that aerial photos be displayed on the website, and city staff is hard at work to make this possible. After years of waiting for safe pedestrian access along Wisconsin, people were enthusiastic for completion and believed that the long-term benefits will outweigh the short term hassles. Design and construction plans for the path will be finalized in January by MDOT. Snow Plowed Paths Mean all Season Fun You don’t stop walking your dog or getting a little fresh air just because there’s snow on the ground. Thanks to some all season maintenance, you can now access the Whitefish Pedestrian and Bike Trail all winter long. A little piece of John Deere machinery made just for trail maintenance means walking and cycling are now possible through all kinds of weather. “We’re very aware that people want to use the trails,” explained Parks and Recreation administrator Chad Fincher. Whenever there are 2 inches or more of snow on the ground, you can expect to see the gator with a plough on front clearing a path for recreationally minded residents. Current plowing plans include: the Baker Ave to Rygg (Kiddie Park/Whitefish River) section; around the pond and across the footbridge through the Hope section and around the Housing Authority to Kay Beller Park; and.the entirety of the BNSF Loop. The Public Works Department is responsible for clearing the viaduct. The machine is the latest addition for the Parks & Recreational fleet and even boasts de-icers for slippery and problem areas. While in-town connectors have first priority, the potential for grooming some of the outlying areas for snowshoers and cross-country skiers has been discussed. Volunteer Coordinators Elected, Search is on for Willing Volunteers With the goal of providing a framework for future fundraising, city council approved the creation of three “Fish Trails coordinators” on the Dec. 5 council meeting. The coordinators will oversee special bike/pedestrian path events, oversee volunteer recruitment and assignments as well as manage fundraising. The coordinators are also members of the Bike and Pedestrian Trails Committee and will act as a liaison between the two groups. “The coordinators will know who is doing what and how long volunteer jobs will last,” Parks and Recreation Director Dan Keyes explained. Preceding city council’s official approval, the Bike and Pedestrian Trails Committee appointed Doug Adams, Linda Hunt and Don Spivey as the first Fish Trails coordinators. They’ll be looking for willing volunteers, so keep Fish Trails in mind. A little help goes a long way towards bike path construction. Contact one of the Fish Trails committee members or a coordinator if you have fundraising ideas or would like to volunteer your time. The Big Winner at October’s Trails Dedications... Candy Johnson’s winter was a whole lot better after she won the Big Mountain season ski pass, the grand prize of this past October trails dedication. A crowd of over 25 people gathered to explore the riverside trail that starts at the Kiddie Park and winds its way towards Spokane Avenue. The completion of the Greenwood Trail section (behind McDonalds) and completion of the BNSF Loop were also part of the hoopla. Councilor Doug Adams hailed the Kiddie Park section the shortest but most important part of the path because it will act as a critical junction between US 93 recreation fields, downtown Whitefish as well as to city schools and playgrounds. The BNSF Loop was also noted as another piece of path with beautiful scenery and important connecting features. Special thanks were handed to all easement donors, whose generosity made the pretty little river section possible: Tom Van Aken, Donald and Sally Clark, David Crow, Lyle and Laura Rutherford, Phyllis Sprunger and Jeanne Tallman all donated easements to the Baker to Rygg section; Gary Ince and Bill and Judy Halama donated Greenwood Trail easements. The next dedication will occur on National Trails Day in June of 2006. The Fish Trails committee is looking for donated items to raffle at next year’s event. Please contact a member of Fish Trails or email Fish Trails if you or your business would like to donate an item. All donations are tax-deductible. Design Team Envisions Future Bike Trails Following the recommendations of a specially created Selection Committee, city council officially approved a consultant team to design six new bike path projects that are to be built in 2006. The Selection Committee interviewed three teams (Thomas, Dean and Hoskins with Bruce Boody Landscape Architect, 48 North with Sitescape Associates and Neil Consultants with a Helena-based landscape architect. The top-ranking candidate was the TD&H/Boody team. Council approved the selection and the contract, which will not exceed $252,000. The projects up for design are: The six priority trails are: the East Edgewood Trail which will connect the north side of the viaduct to Texas Ave, the section behind the old North Valley Hospital beside the Whitefish River, the Riverside at Whitefish segment that loops around the nearby pond, Second St. to the Armory (a segment that will greatly improve the safety for bikers and pedestrians), Riverside Bridge to Seventh Street and onward to Karrow Ave, a section that will link outlying neighborhoods to the downtown Whitefish, the construction of a bridge over the Whitefish River along the Rocksund Trail onto (that trail will continue onto city land making inroads to Monegan Road and create a link between the schools and Riverside Sports Complex). The six projects are estimated to cost $1.5 million. Most of the costs will be provided via recent federal transportation funding. A 13.42% match for federal funds will be paid out of the Resort Tax Funds. Design cost will be split between the federal funds ($218,182) and Resort Tax Funds ($13,818). The Best is Yet to Come in Spring and Summer 2006! May, June and July 2006 promise to be exciting months for biking in Whitefish. Upcoming dedication includes the BNSF Loop for June’s National Trails Day. Bike-to-work events will be held during the spring and summer. If your business would like to donate items for the raffle, contact one of the Fish Trails Advisory Committee or leave a message on the Contact Us link. The best is yet to come! Bike Path to Link with Surrounding State Trust Lands and Set National Precedence Local leaders have been hard at work with the Department of Natural Resources for plans to link Whitefish to the surrounding public lands. This summer plans for some 40 miles of interconnecting trails were hatched, much to the delight of local residents. If the plan is achieved, Whitefish would set national precedence for interconnecting trail systems through public lands. The wilderness trails would wind through some of the 13,000 acres of local school trust land, and connect the Farm-to-Market Road, Spencer Mountain and Beaver Lake areas to Big Mountain and Haskill Basin areas before working towards the Happy Valley trust lands. A fundraising entity is in the works to raise funds that will needed to purchase easements, construct the trail and provide for trail facilities and maintenance. |
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