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9-6-12 Technical Advisory Committee Kalispell Technical Advisory Committee Minutes of September 6, 2012 Page 1 of 5 KALISPELL TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF MEETING SEPTEMBER 6, 2012 CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The meeting of the Kalispell Technical Advisory Committee was called to order at 1:00 p.m. Committee Members Present were: Tom Jentz, Doug Russell, Marc Liechti, Ovila Byrd represented Dave Prunty, Gary Engman, Cal Scott, Bob Vosen, Tim Larson, Susie Turner & Ted Leuhr. Sheila Ludlow attended via teleconference from Helena. Mark Munsinger and John Donoghue were absent. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES Larson moved and Liechti seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the April 11, 2011 TAC meeting. VOTE BY ACCLAMATION The motion passed unanimously on a vote by acclamation. HEAR THE PUBLIC No one spoke. Jentz noted receipt of a letter from John Donoghue, a member of TAC who was unable to attend the meeting today, and he asked the committee members to review the letter submitted. OLD BUSINESS: None. NEW BUSINESS: URBAN RENEWAL AREA BOUNDARY MAP Susie Turner took her seat at approximately 1:05 p.m. Jentz noted it is the responsibility of the TAC to review, update and approve the Urban Renewal Area Boundary Map. The last time the map was adjusted was in 2002 based on the 2000 census and with the completion of the 2010 census the map needs to be reviewed. Before the next urban funded priority road construction project can be selected the boundary map has to be reviewed. Zia Kazimi of MDT met with the city and county staff in Kalispell one week ago and the boundary map was discussed. Jentz reviewed the old boundary and compared it with the proposed boundary map. Jentz reviewed the Urban Area Boundary Review Guidelines for the committee which are as follows:  Must include city limits  Include transportation terminals  Include logical control points for transportation linkages (interchanges, major cross roads)  Smooth out irregularities  Maintain continuity of peripheral routes  Encompass fringe areas having residential, commercial, industrial, or national defense significance  Include buffer area between urban and city limits to allow for future minor annexations Kalispell Technical Advisory Committee Minutes of September 6, 2012 Page 2 of 5  Follow easily identified features where possible (section lines, rivers, rail lines)  Should not be modified to include a single project  Changes that affect highway systems will be avoided, where possible, to keep system actions to a minimum. Jentz reviewed the proposed boundary (shown in Yellow on the map attached to the minutes). Ted Leuhr asked why Green Tree Acres (south of Lower Valley Road) wasn’t included. Zia Kazimi explained the Green Tree Acres subdivision was omitted because they tried to stay true to the census urban cluster boundary and still include the corporate boundaries of Kalispell. Liechti and Larson asked why Rocky Cliff Road wasn’t included. Jentz noted Rocky Cliff Road is a local road and not eligible for funding under this program. Liechti said when you look north of Cemetery Road that area is part of the urban density but Rocky Cliff isn’t and that doesn’t seem to make sense because Rocky Cliff has more density than along Cemetery Road. Jentz concurred but stated that there was not a process to challenge the census designations. Kazimi said you may expand the boundaries but what really counts with this whole process is when it is approved and once all of the other urban areas are approved it has to get approval from Federal Highways. Then sometime early next spring the percentages for each area are determined, based on population and it may or may not change for Kalispell. Further discussion was held regarding the boundary and Kazimi emphasized the intent of being consistent with all of the urban areas in Montana is to prevent a land grab in order to get more population and therefore more funds. Ed Toavs, took his seat at approximately 1:35 p.m. and Jentz reviewed the discussion up to this point. There was additional discussion regarding changing the boundary in the location of the Whitefish Stage Road and West Reserve intersection. The consensus was to leave the boundary as proposed. Vosen said US 2 on the west side of town should be looked at because the density isn’t there. Kazimi said it has to do with the way the census blocks are created and it can’t be challenged. MOTION Luehr moved and Larson seconded a motion to accept the changes to the Kalispell 2010 Urban Area Boundary Map as presented. VOTE BY ACCLAMATION The motion passed unanimously on a vote by acclamation. Kalispell Technical Advisory Committee Minutes of September 6, 2012 Page 3 of 5 KALISPELL’S URBAN AID HIGHWAY PROJECT Jentz noted within the boundary area urban funds are collected which are approximately $600,000 per year and the current balance is approximately $1,000,000. At this time TAC needs to review the priorities selected in 2010 to see if those priorities have changed. Jentz noted in order for the projects to qualify for urban funds they have to be within the TAC Urban Boundary of Kalispell and have to be included in the Kalispell Area Transportation Plan. Lengthy discussion was held reviewing the attached list of 15 Kalispell Urban Fund Projects and the TAC requested that additional information such as traffic counts, impacts, pros and cons, etc. be provided to the committee on the following five projects: 4. Grandview Drive – US 93 – Evergreen – 1 mile 6. Whitefish Stage – Idaho-Reserve Drive – 2 ½ miles 7. West Reserve Drive – US 93 – US 2 – 2 ¼ miles 11. LaSalle Road extension – Conrad Drive – LaSalle – ½ mile 15. Willow Glen Drive – Lower Valley – Conrad – 2 ¾ miles After the committee has a chance to review the additional information the priorities will be set late Winter or early Spring. MOTION Scott moved and Liechti seconded a motion to continue the discussion on the 5 identified priorities until the next TAC meeting and then the committee will come up with a final recommendation. VOTE BY ACCLAMATION The motion passed unanimously on a vote by acclamation. OVERALL ROAD – HIGHWAY 93 ALTERNATE ROUTE – US HIGHWAY 2 TO WEST RESERVE DR/HIGHWAY 93 NORTH Toavs reported that the remainder of the Highway 93 Alternate Route, from US Highway 2 West to West Reserve, has been divided into four projects: 1. US Highway 93 North to Reserve Loop which is ready to go when funding becomes available, estimated cost of $8 million; 2. Reserve Loop to Three Mile Drive, $15 million; and 3. Three Mile Drive to US Highway 2 West, $8 or $9 million. Toavs added that these three projects would tie the bypass completely together. Toavs said the 4th project that was separated out is a stand- alone bridge over Three Mile Drive, $5 million. He said the reason for that is Three Mile Drive is very challenging to construct as an interim design because of the grade from the south to the north. Anything built in the interim creates a lot of throw away costs – $1 - $2 million dollars and that is not acceptable. They will have Stelling design the bridge and rebuild that portion affected on Three Mile Drive. Then as funding becomes available it doesn’t matter which direction they come from – south or north – they can just tie in with ramps to that bridge. Regarding Two Mile Drive and roundabout vs. an overpass with no ramps it was concluded that there will be an overpass with no ramps. The reason is a roundabout does not meet the safety and mobility of a grade separated roadway. The difference as compared with the Kalispell Technical Advisory Committee Minutes of September 6, 2012 Page 4 of 5 roundabouts on the southern portion is Two Mile Drive is very close to US Highway 2 West and Three Mile Drive and once you give access it is nearly impossible to take it away. Toavs continued when MDT acquired property in the Three Mile Drive area they ended up acquiring more than they originally thought so Stelling looked at it and they are confident that they can fit a full interchange in at Three Mile Drive rather than the partial diamond interchange that is in the environmental document. He said the comments from the public indicated full access needs to be at Three Mile Drive and now they can make that happen. They intend to issue a press release and ask for public comment for this change but a public meeting will probably not be needed. Toavs indicated MDT’s current 5 year plan does not have the bypass funded. Tiger grant funding was available but MDT was not successful in two attempts to get funding. Toavs noted that the bypass project is ahead of the curve and Helena is aware of that. There are only 3 parcels in the Two Mile Drive area to acquire and then all of the property for the entire northern part of the bypass will be acquired. Luck favors those who have their projects ready. They are predicting $36 to $37 million dollars to complete the bypass. Additional discussion was held regarding sound walls along Empire Estates and the plan to eventually cut-off Parkridge Drive. COURTHOUSE COUPLET Toavs said MDT has come up with some conceptual designs for the Courthouse Couplet and they are at the point where they should sit down with the city and county and have a discussion on those options. The big issues are pedestrian crossings to and from the circle and reconfiguring effective parking. MDT wants to finish this project because it is the last piece in the environmental corridor from Whitefish to Somers. FLATHEAD COUNTY’S NEXT SECONDARY ROAD PROJECT Ludlow said a secondary road project priority list will be set with the counties within the next year. She added she doesn’t know what next secondary project is for Flathead County. MDT UPDATE ON CITY, COUNTY AND STATE AND FEDERAL HIGHWAY PROJECTS IN THE AREA Vosen reviewed the following local projects:  Reserve South, behind Home Depot is proposed to open to traffic Oct 1st;  Lakeside turn light at Political Hill is basically complete;  Between Whitefish and Kalispell guardrail damage will be repaired;  Touchup work on striping, and sprinkling repair along West Idaho; and  The signal out at MT Highway 206 and MT Highway 35 is scheduled for next year. Kalispell Technical Advisory Committee Minutes of September 6, 2012 Page 5 of 5 Toavs added the following projects:  New stoplight will be installed at US Highway 2 and Spring Creek & Sunset next year;  Evergreen (Kalispell) storm drain northeast near McDonalds and Alpine Storage. A trunk line will be installed from Cottonwood Drive all the way down to the intersection of US Hwy 2 East and MT Highway 35 then they will turn west – tear out the medians – and continue the trunk line with one lift station and outfall at the Stillwater River. US Highway 2 East going north from the intersection they will also mill and pave those lanes;  Next Spring MDT will construct a safety project on Whitefish Stage Road just south of MT Highway 40 almost to Hodgson Road; and  The first piece of the Whitefish West corridor will be let next February where they will rebuild Veteran’s Bridge.  Sportsman Bridge replacement on MT Highway 82 is scheduled for 2014/2015. Leichti asked about the overlay projects south of Kalispell and on LaSalle and Gary Engman noted those were rut fills until they can get the funding for overlays. Leichti said the sections are rough and Vosen said those were not intended to be an overlay but just to prevent hydroplaning. Toavs added there is cracking in those areas below the ruts and if left unchecked the road would fail completely. SET NEXT MEETING DATE Late winter, early spring. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at approximately 3:00 p.m. /s/ Tom R. Jentz /s/ Michelle Anderson Thomas R. Jentz Michelle Anderson Chairman Recording Secretary The minutes were approved as submitted/amended on _3_/12_/2013_.