The Daily Inter Lake

An $8.2 million appropriations for the U.S. 93 bypass west of Kalispell could be the latest casualty of the November election.

U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, requested the money earlier this year. Half of it was intended for general bypass construction; the other half was earmarked specifically for the West Reserve Loop, a new road that will run adjacent to Glacier High School, from the intersection of Stillwater Road and West Reserve southeast to U.S. 93.

Since Burns lost his reelection bid to Democrat Jon Tester, however, all bets are off as to whether the $8.2 million will survive the appropriations process.

"Of course the funding is in jeopardy," said Burns spokesman J.P. Donovan. "Conrad will do everything he can to keep the money in the bill, but now that he's a lame-duck senator, his voice is less powerful. There will be other senators who want to strip his projects out of the bill, because he won't be around next year. At this point, I think any level of funding is in question."

As a team, Montana's Congressional delegation has been quite effective at getting federal money for the 8-mile-long bypass, which is intended to reduce traffic congestion and truck traffic in downtown Kalispell and to provide an alternate route around the city.

To date, almost $40 million has been set aside for the project, not including the $8.2 million. That's about half its total estimated cost.

Donovan said the appropriations bill that contains the additional money could still make it through the Senate this year. However, it will have to be reconciled with the House version early next year, so there's plenty of opportunity for the funding to be snatched.

Hopefully, he said, U.S. Sen. Max Baucus and Rep. Denny Rehberg will be able to preserve some or all of the funding.

Regardless of what happens with the bill, though, the West Reserve Loop remains the top priority for the bypass.

Montana Department of Transportation officials said Thursday that the construction drawings for that section of road should be completed next month and go out to bid next spring. The intent is to have the road ready for use by the time Glacier High School opens in the fall of 2007.

If the $8.2 million isn't approved, the loop road will be paid for using previously appropriated bypass funds. That will reduce the amount of money available for the south section of the bypass, which is the next phase of the project scheduled to be built.

The south section will run 4 miles from Gardner's Auction north to U.S. 2. It will be a two-lane or a four-lane route, depending on how much money is available. As additional funding becomes available, the north half will be constructed and the whole route will be expanded to four lanes.

State transportation officials also indicated that the West Reserve Loop could include a round-about at the intersection of West Reserve and Stillwater Road.