College/Sylvan detour 2nd Public Comment from Jen Voigt Aimee Brunckhorst
From: Jennifer sipma <simpagreen@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2026 4:59 PM
To: Keith Haskins; Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Subject: Re: FW: EXTERNAL College/Sylvan detour
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Thankyou for responding with the exact same email you have sent several people.
As I mentioned before,we understand that you feel this is a necessary detour route. However
placing a 25mph speed limit on a road HALF the width of the east neighborhood roads, along with
blind corners, does indeed create an unsafe situation for residents,walkers, children, pets, and
drivers.We have 100s of cars per hour passing through the neighborhood currently and a multitude
of them are speeding through. With the increase in traffic,the neighborhood would benefit from a
lower speed limit to ensure safe travel.
If I am being honest,your response feels incredibly dismissive.
We are asking for the speed to be decreased and for more police presence. As a city representative
I would assume safety would be your first priority.
I received a very nice email response from Dustin Leftridge who has been down here and sees the
mess....and agrees that the safety has decreased. He has a child that attends Woodland
Montessori.
Sincerely
Jen V
On Tue, May 5, 2026, 16:43 Keith Haskins <khaskins@kalispell.com>wrote:
Jennifer,
Thank you for contacting the City regarding your concerns about the current detour route.We appreciate
your patience through the duration of this construction detour.
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Please be assured that the City has taken the following actions to address safety along the detour:
• A driver feedback sign has been installed adjacent to the Montessori School to inform travelers of the
posted speed limit.
• The contractor has installed additional signage to assist drivers in navigating the detour route.
• The Police Department has increased patrols along the detour corridor during peak traffic hours.
The roadway serving as the current detour is a public street intended to accommodate the traveling public,
and the City is committed to ensuring it operates safely and efficiently for all users.We will continue to
monitor conditions for the duration of the detour.
Please note that there is also a longer duration project for the installation of a roundabout at 2nd St and
Woodland Ave.This project is going to be bid out this summer and is expected to be constructed next year
(2027), but could potentially start this year depending on contractor availability, material availability,and
contractor means and methods.This upcoming safety project will be led by MDT but will require the same
closure of 2nd St and the same detour as is currently in place.
Should you have additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at 406-758-7727.
Thanks,
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Keith Haskins, PE
Deputy Director Public Works/City Engineer
City of Kalispell - Public Works Department
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From:Jennifer sipma <simpagreen@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, May 5, 2026 2:12 PM
To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment<publiccomment@kalispell.com>
Subject: EXTERNAL College/Sylvan detour
Hi. Is there a way we can get more police presence and/or a lower speed for this
detour?
I understand that this is a necessity,and I understand that you have detoured down
here in the past....however there are 4 houses (ours included)that are new within the
past few years. We have several families with small children, and two households
with disabled children...not to mention lots of pets.
There are serious concerns for safety for children, pets,walkers, etc.
We are just asking for some support from the city now that our neighborhood is being
treated like a highway. This road is narrow, and the corner at Sylvan Ct is wide
enough for one car at a time(we have already almost been hit there by someone
racing down the hill).There are so many people racing through the neighborhood, and
the amount of cars coming through is excessive...it takes us several minutes to get
out of our own driveway.
Please advise on how we can get some help to increase safety while this detour
continues.
Thankyou
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Jen Voigt
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