Kalispell City Council on Tuesday night voted to reapply for a federal grant to fund the completion of the south half of the U.S. 93 Bypass.  

City staff will submit an application for $25 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development competitive grant program.  

The city, in partnership with Montana Department of Transportation, has unsuccessfully applied for funds twice in the past few years. But city officials are optimistic that the ask will not go unanswered.  

“I think we have a good chance,” said Community Development Manager Nelson Loring.  

The federal transportation agency announced $1.5 billion in funding through the program for 2026 compared to last year’s $488 million, which Loring hopes will increase Kalispell’s chances of seeing a return.  

City Manager Jarod Nygren said the likelihood of being awarded typically increases each year, pointing to how it took three tries for the city to secure a federal grant for the Parkline Trail.   

“I think just continuing to refine the project, show the need, will hopefully get us over the finish line this go-around,” Nygren said.  

While this is the last year the federal grant will exist, Nygren expects there will be a similar funding program in the future.  

If awarded, the money would complete the bypass project.  

Construction at the south end of the bypass includes replacing the roundabout at Airport Road with a double-roundabout interchange similar to the one completed at Foy’s Lake Road in 2022. The interchange would feature an overpass and four access ramps, according to the state Department of Transportation. 

The Basecamp Drive/bypass intersection to U.S. 93 would be fitted with dual northbound left-turn lanes on U.S. 93, doubling turning capacity for vehicles accessing the bypass. 

The Foy’s Lake Road section of the bypass received $12.75 million from the program in 2018. 

COUNCIL LIMITED fees tied to public records requests following changes in state law. 

“The state significantly reduced the amount of fees the city can collect in order to provide this service, but that’s just what we got to deal with,” Nygren said.  

The state Legislature in 2023 passed House Bill 100, which requires local governments to provide the first hour of staff time for non-routine records requests at no cost and caps any additional staff time at $25 per hour.   

The city tacked on a $5 filing fee to help offset the cost of request management software bought by the city to help streamline the redacting, storing and packaging of records requests. It will also give those making requests an option to pay online via credit card, according to a memo from City Clerk and Communications Manager Aimee Brunckhorst. Credit card payments will incur a fee. 

AN AMENDMENT removing a 30-minute parking restriction from a parking stall on Fourth Street East was struck from the agenda after city staff realized the way the amendment was written would inadvertently impact another parking space.  

Because removing the restriction on the singular spot by Fire Station No. 61 is not a pressing issue, staff will rewrite the amendment before placing it before Council for consideration again.   

Council also approved a final plat for a subdivision containing 13 single-family lots on around four acres at 249 Three Mile Drive and extended Stillwater Village’s preliminary plat by two years.  

Council originally approved the preliminary plat in 2023, which allowed for 181 lots — 67 detached single-family and 114 attached single-family homes — on around 47 acres located off U.S. 93 between Silverbrook Estates and the Northern Pines Golf Course. 

After adjourning, Council moved into a work session to continue reviewing the new land use plan meant to guide the city’s growth for the next 20 years.  

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and [email protected].