Support sought for Highway 93 pathway project

PABLO – Developers and recreational enthusiasts are urging Lake County residents to lend their voices in support of a proposed bike and walking path along the U.S. Highway 93 corridor between Missoula and St. Ignatius.

“At this point we’re really counting on you,” project consultant Shivon Brite told a crowd gathered for a public hearing in Pablo on Jan. 24.

The Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes are seeking a federal grant to fund the 34-mile Peoples’ Way Multi-use Path, which would stretch from Interstate 90 north to the intersection of Dublin Gulch and Redhorn Roads. With an estimated $38-million price tag, however, planners hope to boost their proposal with an outpouring of community backing.

Project Engineer Casey Ryan with the CSKT Transportation Department said the project is both culturally and economically significant. He said local tribes have used the route for centuries. Restoring the ability to travel the path by foot and through non-motorized forms of transportation would benefit both residents and visitor alike.

Designs call for an 8-10 foot-wide, paved pathway complete with bridges and wildlife safety features. Chris Anderson of the Missoula-based engineering firm DJ&A said the route will remain inside the right-of-way areas established during the recent highway expansion projects.

“We hope to piggy back off that effort,” he said. “That’s one less hurdle for us.”

Securing funding for the enterprise has proved challenging, however.

Brite said planners applied for a federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, grant last year, but were turned down in part because of the project’s cost. With the price tag nearly $10 million more than the most expensive TIGER undertaking to date, she said then U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Fox likely did not want to break precedence by approving the project.

But after incorporating some suggestions received during the application process, Brite and other planners were optimistic about their fortunes the second time around.

Supporters hope to follow in the footsteps of the recently completed Missoula to Lolo trail, which was also funded through a TIGER Grant.

Brite said that effort was made possible through vocal support from area residents as well as members of Montana’s congressional delegation.

Anderson said another method of attracting attention is to incorporate unique features such as alternative surfaces and recreational opportunities.

“We have a lot of ideas swirling around, but I don’t think we can act on anything until we’re funded,” he said.

One major hurdle will be developing a plan for maintenance and upkeep of the trail.

Lake County Commissioner Gale Decker said users of the Skyline Trail in Polson often expect the county to handle issues such as gravel removal and invasive weed mitigation.

“We have the equipment, but we don’t have the budget,” Decker said.

Officials at the meeting agreed that a comprehensive maintenance agreement would need to be developed between state, tribal and local governments.

Anderson noted that trail users are often willing to pitch in as well.

“The bicycle and pedestrian community is unlike any other that I know,” he said. “If all we needed were operators there might be people willing to work pro bono.”

Despite some remaining obstacles, those at the meeting agreed that if properly funded, The Peoples’ Way would provide indisputable benefits. The project is billed as a vital portion of the proposed non-motorized connection between the Bitterroot Valley, Flathead Lake and, eventually, Glacier National Park.

Tribal Councilwoman Shelly Fyant, who represents the Arlee District, said that the pathway would also encourage health and wellness among area residents.

“This would be open all the time,” she said. “If I needed to run to town, I could.”

As the Apr. 19 deadline for TIGER Grant submissions draws near, Brite said now’s the time to speak up.

“We need all hands on deck,” Brite said.

Information on the project and how to submit comments can be found at www.bikerunwalkus93.com.