4 Mile Drive & KidsSport ComplexAimee Brunckhorst
From: Josh Sonju <joshsonju@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 7, 2022 10:55 AM
To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment; Chad Fincher; Doug Overman; Doug Russell
Cc: Josh Sonju
Subject: EXTERNAL 4 Mile Drive and Kidsport Complex
Attn
Honorable Kalispell City Mayor Mark Johnson,
Kalispell City Council Members,
Kalispell Police Chief Doug Overman
Kalispell City Manager Doug Russell
Kalispell City Parks and Recreation Superintendent, Chad Fincher
We appreciate the Kidsport complex and having families, teams, and schools play and practice. It is always great to listen
to the cheers! We also appreciate the path along the park too as avid walkers and runners. I am reluctantly writing to you
to discuss my concerns about the traffic and safety surrounding the Kidsport Complex and 4 Mile Drive.
We live on Parkway Drive that attaches to 4 Mile Drive. We do realize that the city has grown rapidly and that more and
more people are utilizing the city's resources and offerings. Unfortunately, we are also seeing issues that have arisen from
an increase of activities and developments that are becoming safety concerns.
The biggest concern we have right now is the amount of traffic using 4 Mile drive during events at Kidsport. The city has
certainly recognized this and has eliminated parking along 4 Mile drive and has posted it as no parking. There are also
areas within Kidsport that have no parking signs implemented. Increasingly, these signs are being ignored both inside the
complex and along 4 Mile drive. There are times when there is parking available and people do not want to walk or refuse
to get any exercise by walking from one parking lot across the complex to watch the game. There are other times that
there are too many events scheduled at the same time and there are limited spots. (There are additional parking spots at
FVCC available to park and walk to the complex) We have also seen an influx of campers using the parking lots. There
are times that we cannot get on to, or out of Parkway Drive due to the voluminous amount of traffic without "taking a
chance" and pulling out or hoping that someone will let us out. The traffic is backed up from Highway 93 past Parkway
Drive turn which makes it difficult to navigate either direction. This is also a junction to one of the entrances to Kidsport.
People are ignoring the no parking zones mostly due to inconvenience. They have parked in any manner available in all
areas of the complex and on the lawn areas. The workers of the complex do a great job of upkeep, but have a large task
of trying to repair the lawn, and probably broken sprinklers, etc.
Due to everyone parking on 4 Mile Drive in the no parking areas along the road, I narrowly missed hitting a child and
taking off someone's door last weekend. There were cars parked on both sides of 4 Mile drive and I was intentionally
driving slow because of parking and traffic congestion.
The new street that was just added in on the blind hill from the development west of Kidsport is only going to add more
safety and traffic concerns. This road crosses the bike path. The existing pathway randomly and inexplicably terminates
on the same side of the blind hill. There is no sidewalk to get to it from Kidsport. There is also no crosswalk to get to the
south side of 4 Mile drive and even if you cross the road, there is no sidewalk. I have almost been hit multiple times by
drivers that are either going too fast, or they just can't see or react fast enough with the hill.
We certainly have seen and experienced tempers flare due to traffic and parking issues on 4 Mile Drive.
We do know the issues are a combination and culmination of growth and planning. This has compounded the issues to
where we really want to have people safely enjoy the Complex.
How can we remedy this?
Proposed possible solutions and improvements:
1. It would be beneficial to add curbs and sidewalks along 4 Mile drive on both sides.
a. Along the entire front of Kidsport connecting to the bike path.
b. Along the south side of 4 Mile drive on the hill connecting to the bike path.
c. Crosswalks
2. A possible center turn lane on 4 Mile Drive to help traffic flow.
3. A right turn lane that merges onto Highway 93 or roundaboout (appears to be not an option with the new crosswalk and
light that is being installed)
4. Police presence to deter poor parking/speeding, especially during large events.
5. Police enforcement/parking tickets when people park in posted no parking areas.
6. Reducing/rescheduling events to reduce traffic and parking congestion.
7. Requiring events to have parking attendants.
8. Shuttles/buses that ferry people from FVCC or other parking lots in the event that overflow parking is needed.
9. Faster traffic light duration and cycle on Highway 93/Parkway Drive intersection to increase traffic efficiency and flow
(will need to work with MDOT)
I am more than willing to discuss further if needed.
Respectfully,
Josh Sonju
753 Parkway Drive
Kalispell, MT 59901
406-407-0669