amendments to the 2040 Move Plan for 9-7-2021 Public Comment from Citizens for a Better FlatheadCITIZENS FOR A
Citizens for a Better Flathead
.: .� 'i"1 ,18 1;" 113ETTER FLATHEAD
9-7-2021
Citizens for a Better Flathead asks that the City of Kalispell Adopt Resolution 6048B, which
supports amendments to the proposed Move 2040 Kalispell Area Transportation Plan.
We ask that you consider and adopt the following attached nine specific text changes as
amendments to the Move 2040 Kalispell Area Transportation Plan (hereafter referred to as
the Move 2040 Plan) to clarify the already adopted goals and policies of the City of Kalispell,
which the plan fails to clearly support.
Your packet for the September 7th city council meeting includes on pages 296-317 the city's or
consultant's written responses to public comment submitted to the city regarding the Move
2040 Plan between July 26th and August 25th. While we acknowledge these responses to
public comments, we must point out that while these response are repetitive in asserting that
the Move 2040 Plan supports an additional study of the downtown Hwy 93 corridor, there is no
acknowledgement that this study is ranked number 40 of 40 prioritized projects --so last in
Priority and no where in the text of the plan can we find any text suggesting it should be a high
priority project. Instead, statements about this corridor study in the 2040 Plan repeatedly raise
doubt that a viable corridor plan in keeping with the 2017 Kalispell Downtown Plan is possible.
Similarly, while the 2040 plan references repeatedly the importance of providing multi -modal
options like sidewalk, bike and pedestrian trails, and bus facilities, it concludes with three
policies that the TAC Committee declares will need to guide implementation of future multi -
modal facilities under the Move 2040 Plan. These policies, with wording of "shall not" and "will
not," essentially nix future development of such multi -modal options like sidewalks, bike and
pedestrian trail facilities in implementing the 2040 Plan due to what is cited as limited funding --
-see this on page 213 of the plan ---and instead prioritize the building of roads first.
With this negative and problematic wording buried within this 265 page plan, City leadership is
needed to amend this plan before it is adopted to be consistent with the vision and goals the
City has set. Such language in the 2040 Plan is contrary to plans and policies the City has
adopted including the City Council's adoption of the 2017 City of Kalispell Growth Policy Plan -
It 2035, the 2017 Kalispell Downtown Plan, the 2018 adopted Kalispell City Urban Renewal Plan,
and the city adopted 2012 City of Kalispell Core Area Plan. These documents were adopted
after extensive public input and excitement and must be explicitly taken into account and
supported when discussing the future of Kalispell transportation sector and the Move 2040
Plan, which is supposed to set transportation policy for the next 30 years.
Please make the following amendments:
• #1. Move as an amendment to Page 7 of the plan the following clarification of Goal #2.
2. Congestion Reduction
GOAL: Create a transportation system that optimizes a network of road and
multi -modal options to reduce congestion and per capita vehicle miles traveled
(VMT) in the plan area while ensuring the foals of the 2017 Downtown Plan can
be achieved. ,.h:l:+. wd cenner-toixoty .,1i,. i ,. +„ meve r.. nlqp n1., ,. +,.
• #2. Move as an amendment to Page 7 of the plan the following clarification of Goal
#2C. (Note that the plan as drafted includes conflicting statements on a complete street
approach to right-of-way development. On pages 208-209 the plan calls for "where
improvements to the transportation network are prioritized, related bicycle and
pedestrian infrastructure should also be prioritized for construction, regardless of
whether it has been identified and recommended as a project priority according to this
analysis." Whereas on page 213 of the plan it sets forth the conflicting policy that "Given
these considerations and the overall recommendations, the TAC felt it was important to
identify key policy decisions affecting the implementation of this plan. --Bike routes and
bike lanes identified will not be implemented until the roadway is updated to meet the
necessary widths and acceptable design standards approved by Public Works.")
2C. Improve system -wide bicycle and pedestrian connectivity
by implementing transportation investments identified within the Move 2040
Bike/ P e d e l e m e nt a n d the complete street approach to right-of-way development
as called for in the City of Kalispell Growth Policy Plan -It 2035.
• #3. Move as an amendment to Page 7 of the plan the following clarification of Goal #5.
Goal 5: System Support Economic Vitality and the Reliability of Freight
Movement. - �'Y^�+^
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pAndsr-Ar.me.r-ity hy micnixodomp inic thin imifor-oiant nievement ef an. Provide
a safe, efficient, accessible, and cost-effective transportation system for freight
delivery that supports all Kalispell area businesses, while also ensuring the goals
of the 2017 Downtown Plan can be achieved.
• #4 Move as an amendment to Page 7 of the plan the following clarification of Goal
#6D. (Note: Priorities Identified appear to be one of three types. Table 7.1:
Transportation System Management Recommendations (page 162-163) ranks the
detailed corridor design project needed to move forward with implementation of the
Downtown Plan as the last priority of 40 identified projects. Given the findings of the
2018 Urban Renewal Plan) which Kalispell adopted and which highlights the vital
importance to the Flathead economy of building and implementing the Downtown Plan,
ranking this corridor plan as the last priory of 40 identified projects is unacceptable.)
6D. Prioritize the the City of Kalispell's adopted 2017 Downtown Plan and the
detailed design corridor study needed to implement the Downtown Plan as a top
priority of the Move 2040 Plan followed by the , Move 2040 list of other
prioritized projects to guide transportation investment and make effective use of
funding when it becomes available.
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• #5. Move as an amendment to Page 7 of the plan the following clarification of Goal
#4A.
4A. Minimize the transportation system's impacts on the natural and built
environment by retaining historic, economic, social, visual, pedestrian, and
community character priorities as much as possible when planning for
transportation infrastructure.
• #6. Move as an amendment to Page 213 of the text the following:
Note: The preceding text on page 212 sets forth the need to find and plan for stable
funding for building and maintenance of trails including: "Construction and Maintenance
The fiscal realities of facility construction and maintenance weigh heavily on capital
improvements planning efforts, and must be taken into consideration given other
priorities and the context in which each facility exists. While bike routes and lanes are
less fiscally burdensome to plan and budget for, the construction of new sidewalks and
shared use paths is significantly more expensive and must be balanced with the needs of
the overall transportation network, available funding mechanisms, and long-term
maintenance projections. Planning and budgeting for infrastructure maintenance can be
equally challenging. Shared use paths typically require greater capital maintenance
activities with age, often needing full reconstruction at some point in their lifetime. Some
jurisdictions focus on eventual reconstruction and treat this as a maintenance item to be
budgeted for, whereas others treat this as a separate capital project to be considered in
the future. There is no right or wrong way to approach maintenance, but having a
consistent plan for ongoing and necessary improvements is vital to keeping the non -
motorized network safe and effective. Bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure is important
but will only serve its purpose if kept in working order." However, the following text
found on page 213, is unacceptable given the black and white prohibitions it suggests
in a plan intended to encourage and govern pedestrian sidewalks and bike and trail
expansion and maintenance for the next thirty years. The following text should be
deleted.
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• #7. Move as an amendment to Page 227 of the text the following:
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the prioritization and near completion of the Hwv 93 Bypass as a four -lane alternative to
reduce traffic in downtown Kalispell, it will be important for the Citv and MDT to give
priority to completing the final design studies needed to implement the Highwav 93 /
Main Street changes to this corridor identified in the 2017 Kalispell Downtown Plan
adopted by the City of Kalispell.
• #8. Move as an amendment to Page 228 of the text the following:
The Downtown Plan puts forth a vision for reviving the historic character of Kalispell's
downtown and reinforcing its identity as the heart of the community. One of the most
important factors for this vision is the U.S. Highway 93/Main Street corridor, which the
plan looks to reclaim as a pedestrian -scale hub of tourism, shopping, jobs, civic
and cultural activity. �,,..,,,.,,,.. ..�,�:,. c,.,,,�w,.,.� w�..:��,:,,,.�,,,, .. ,.l ,.ti,.11,,.,,.,... +„
cnpp4r. .,,.r +ti„ ,,, .,,+,.4 #QQir.P Q,r ,r....+ c........ +...,,cr:,, ,.q nn.,,:n While U.S.
Highway 93 was designed and is managed as a 4-lane thoroughfare, with the near
completion of the four -lane Kalispell Bypass the community of Kalispell aspires to reclaim
this corridor as "Main Street'; the social and economic hub of the City. The Downtown
Plan highlights several challenges associated with the current design of the U.S. Highway
93/Main Street corridor. The challenges are summarized below:... The Plan presents
several strategies to meet these challenges and realize its vision for Downtown. The
strategies are summarized as follows:...
• #9. Move as an amendment to Page 229 of the text the following:
"Additional detailed corridor -level analysis is recommended to fully understand and craft
solutions to ensure the +"e S.P.P.
'^ viability of Highway 931 Main Street with less than
current capacity. Future analysis needs to consider both the economic findings and
other aoals of the 2018 Kalisaell Urban Renewal Plan and the 2017 Downtown Plan
along with more detailed operational factors,—,i-�r�related to the NHS aN,i ;rv%.1/1x%03
; NLINN,,i coordination with MDT. A detailed presentation of the Alternatives Analysis
can be found in Chapter 6."
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