Kalispell will not apply for the Main Street Safety Action Plan thought the Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets & Roads For All grant program. At Monday’s City Council meeting, the Council was deadlocked in a 4-4 tie vote, which was broken by a “no” vote from Mayor Mark Johnson.
It was a crushing disappointment for City Staff, who’d been doing extensive research and planning to design a safer, more “social” Downtown Kalispell. Massive charts were developed showing the most accident-prone areas on Main Street, and 1st Avenues East and West.
The City Council Members who are running for Mayor split on their votes: Ryan Hunter in favor, Sid Daoud opposed.
Mayor Mark Johnson, who ends his 12 years in office at the end of this year, cast his “no” vote, saying, “I’m really torn on the timing. Yet I think we did a great job on the application and the studies and believe they could work.” He continues, saying, “My only question is, what if they don’t? We just spent $25 million. We may not have the bypass completed, and now we have a traffic mess that we have to try and figure out how to fix.
