Despite a wet spring, construction of the southern portion of the U.S. 93 Alternate Route west of Kalispell continues on schedule.

That’s the word from Montana Department of Transportation Construction Engineer Ed Toavs.

The first two parts of the project — from U.S. 93 to Airport Road and Airport Road to U.S. 2. — are more than 50 percent complete, he said.  

The third part, which consists of widening U.S. 2 where the bypass connects west of town, is less than half done.

Ames Construction of Utah is building the $13.6 million north-end portion between U.S. 2 West and Airport Road. Knife River Kalispell is building the $9 million south-end stretch from Airport Road to U.S. 93 South.

Contractors are building two roundabouts between U.S. 93 and Airport Road and a bridge that will cross Ashley Creek, Toavs said. Another roundabout is being built where the new highway crosses Foy’s Lake Road.

Due to heavy spring rains, the second part of the project has been the state’s “big challenge,” Toavs said.

The target date for completion of the southern bypass project is late October.

A separate highway project — the Hutton Ranch connector — still is dependent on land acquisition.

The Montana Department of Transportation still is negotiating with Flathead Valley Community College on acquiring land for the Hutton Ranch connector. 

Most of the design work for the connector is complete, Toavs said.

The connector road would run behind the Hutton Ranch Plaza and Mountain View Plaza shopping centers, linking Hutton Ranch Road with West Reserve Drive and bypassing the busy U.S. 93/West Reserve Drive intersection.

There is no target date for construction of the Hutton Ranch connector.