KALISPELL – A heavily traveled road in Kalispell will see major improvements beginning Sunday that could impact travelers and surrounding neighbors in the area.
The Montana Department of Transportation will begin work to replace North Meridian Road with a new surface as part of the Kalispell Urban Project, a larger effort to update and preserve roads in central Kalispell.
Crews will repair uneven areas, lower manholes and seal cracks of the rough, aging road from the intersection of West Idaho Street and Sunset Boulevard.
Montana Department of Transportation District Construction Engineer Bob Vosen says because of the high volume of traffic on North Meridian Road working during the day would have meant delaying or re-routing a huge number of people, so instead, crews will work primarily at night.
He says this type of pavement preservation helps improve the condition of the road while increasing its longevity at a fraction of the cost of more intensive rehabilitative efforts.
“The roadway is still in good condition overall,” Vosen said. “The pavement the driving surface needs to be finished is what this amounts to.”
“So if we can get in there now — we are trying to get in before winter… we can stop any further damage to the roadway. Preserving it will really help save a lot of taxpayer dollars,” he added.
Vosen says that as long as the weather cooperates, the first phase of the project is expected to be finished in mid-October.
He told MTN News that every effort will be made to minimize impacts from construction but neighbors along the project should expect some nighttime noise.
Crews will return in spring for chip sealing to complete the project.
-Nicole Miller reporting for MTN News
