Seeley Lake
Seeley Lake, MT · Traffic & Transit
Whitefish Pilot
MDT hustling to complete U.S. 93 West of Whitefish construction before snow flies
The Montana Department of Transportation is hustling to complete the majority of the U.S. Highway 93 construction project West of Whitefish before winter comes. Activities the week of Oct. 12 include pouring concrete curb and gutter throughout the project area, according to the project's website. Pilot cars continue to guide one-way traffic during active construction. The project, contracted with Knife River, is between Livermore Flats and Mountainside Drive. It started in early spring 2025 with the aim of enhancing the safety of the three-mile stretch. The project includes resurfacing, guard rail work, widening the shoulders, updating signage and building a shared use path that is ADA compliant. “As they have been working on the new driving surface, there’s been some challenges," said Becca MacLean, a communicator on behalf of the Montana Department of Transportation. "There’s groundwater that’s been unexpected that essentially causes them to take more time to make sure that the surface is cleared out effectively and dry in order to move forward." Even with these challenges, MacLean affirms that the project is moving according to schedule. Some citizens and community members have voiced concerns about the delays and safety issues throughout the entirety of this project. MacLean said
NBCMontana
Kalispell Public Schools adds 6 new drivers following school bus campaign
KALISPELL, Mont. — Kalispell Public Schools wrapped up a multi-month campaign to recruit school bus drivers for the new school year, and the district says it paid off. KPS set a goal of hiring eight new drivers and had six ready to go by the time school started in late August.
kalispell.com
5th Avenue East – Utility Work & Road Closure
Highgrade Construction will be closing 5th Avenue East near 1531 5th Avenue East for utility work from October 12–16, 2026. 5th Avenue East will be closed to through traffic. Local traffic only will be permitted. Motorists may detour using 14th Street East, 3rd Avenue East, and 18th Street East.
Whitefish Pilot
Guest opinion: Tram proposal should be rejected
Pursuit’s tram proposal should be summarily rejected by the Forest Service, as it was in 2023 because it is inconsistent with the Flathead Forest Plan and duplicates services already provided on public lands at Whitefish Mountain Resort. This tramway would further fragment wildlife habitat and their north-south travel, which is already fragmented by Highway 2, a railroad, power lines, and high human use of the Flathead River corridor. It will also destroy the views of that mountainside and river corridor. This is a rich-get-richer scheme and the greed is already apparent. What will come next, more trails to connect with other trails, downhill mountain bike trails, maybe a downhill ski run or two? Once these rich guys get started, they’ll be wanting more from public taxpayers and public lands in order to increase their activities and profits – just as happened with Whitefish Mountain Resort, Blacktail Mountain Ski Area and Holland Lake Lodge. I hope the Forest Service and Pursuit hear loud and clear from the public that people are fed up with seeing the Montana they love destroyed by big corporations wanting to cash in on public lands. Email the Flathead Forest Supervisor today at anthony.botello@usda.gov . Keith Hammer
kalispell.com
9th Avenue W - Temporary Road Closure
Hilltop Homes will be performing utility work requiring a temporary closure of 9th Avenue West between 5th Street West and 6th Street West. The closure will begin Thursday, October 8, 2026, and remain in place through the end of the day Friday, October 9, 2026. What to Expect:. • 9th...
Hungry Horse News
Thoughts of trails and trams
While the Forest Service closes logging roads yearly and seasonally to limit disturbance to wildlife, they blithely promote and approve most trail-building projects. These trails, unlike closed roads, enable year-round access, in perpetuity. Recreational trail advocates want to experience the natural world, but the mere presence of numerous hiking gangs desecrates the silence and solitude they’re seeking. They don’t intentionally antagonize the wildlife, but they displace animals and alter their feeding and travel patterns. In a related development, Pursuit has resurrected its Tram Scam-this time with a proposal to build a trail network from their summit station on Columbia Mountain. I think they should consider building their project at Logan Pass, where a tram may actually be justified. The Sun Road wasn’t designed to handle modern traffic, and will eventually slide off the mountain anyway. Why not build a tram before that happens? Logan Pass has already been ravaged by Pursuit’s brand of Industrial Tourism; it’s congested and noisy, and polluted with exhaust fumes. By comparison, Columbia Mountain is quiet, wild and unblemished. The Forest Service should keep it that way. Trailless Areas are just as valuable as Roadless Areas, for the same reasons. They give animals the space, freedom
Flathead Beacon
Reject Pursuit’s Tram Proposal Again
Pursuit’s tram proposal should be summarily rejected by the Forest Service, as it was in 2023, because it is inconsistent with the Flathead Forest Plan and duplicates services already provided on public lands at Whitefish Mountain Resort. This tramway would further fragment wildlife habitat and their north-south travel, which is already fragmented by U.S. Highway 2, a railroad, power lines, and high human use of the Flathead River corridor. It will also destroy the views of that mountainside and river corridor.
Hungry Horse News
Hall takes the helm of SD6 transportation
Not too long ago Matt Hall was driving a ready mix truck for Knife River Construction. But he knew he could put his communication skills and education to better use, so when he saw School District 6 needed a transportation director he immediately applied. Hall was hired about two weeks into the school year and has been quickly learning the intricacies of the school’s transportation system. “I came in when everything was going full steam,” he said. But Hall is no stranger to Columbia Falls. He graduated from Columbia Falls in 1997. His father is Gary Hall, the former mayor and county commissioner. Hall has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and social science from the University of Arizona and master’s of strategic communication from Liberty University. While he spent years in corporate marketing and communications, he also has a commercial driver’s license, having also driven buses in large cities. Hall spent several years in South Carolina and moved back to the valley after living in Florida for awhile. Hall and his wife, Beth, have five children ranging from their early 20s to teens and he moved back to be closer to family, he said. The transportation director position came with
kalispell.com
5th Ave WN - North Bound Lane – Road Closure
The City of Kalispell Public Works Department will conduct maintenance work on 5th Ave WN. This maintenance work is scheduled to begin at 8:30 am Wednesday, October 7, 2026 and is anticipated to be completed by the end of the working day. Impacted Areas:. • Northbound traffic on 5th Ave...
Flathead Beacon
Pursuit Resubmits Columbia Mountain Tram Proposal
Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality announced Thursday it had submitted a proposal to the Flathead National Forest to build a year-round aerial tram up Columbia Mountain near Hungry Horse, reviving a project the agency rejected nearly four years ago. The Forest Service confirmed receipt of the proposal the same day. The...
Flathead Beacon
Fix the Hodgson Road-U.S. 93 Intersection
Recently I witnessed the carnage of yet another brutal traffic accident at the intersection of Hodgson Road and U.S. Highway 93. Fortunately, no lives were lost, but there was plenty of work time and property damage lost by those in the wreck and waiting for the northbound lanes to clear.
Whitefish Pilot
Railroad crossings at Birch Point, State Park closed for work on Monday
The railroad crossings at Birch Point Drive and State Park Road will be closed from 10 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27 until 4 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28 for railroad crossing work. Pedestrian crossing will be permitted, however, if you wish to use your vehicle, please plan to park on the south side of the closure. Parking will temporarily be permitted on Birch Point Drive, State Park Road, and the Zinke Peace Park during the closure. The crews on site will have materials available to allow emergency vehicle crossing at all times. If you have any questions about this closure, call BNSF at (800) 832-8452.
Whitefish Pilot
Guest opinion: Hodgson Road and U.S. 93 intersection must be fixed
Yesterday I witnessed the carnage of yet another brutal traffic accident at the intersection of Hodgson Road and US Highway 93. Fortunately no lives were lost, but there was plenty of work time and property damage lost by those in the wreck and waiting for the Northbound lanes to clear. How many lives have to be disrupted—or tragically cut short—before we finally fix the intersection of Hodgson Road and U.S. Highway 93? Just this past March, a devastating head-on crash near Hodgson Road left one person dead and two others hospitalized. Last October, another multi-vehicle wreck completely blocked traffic. Those are just the incidents that made the news. Anyone who drives this stretch between Kalispell and Whitefish regularly knows that near-misses and fender-benders are a daily reality. Turning onto Highway 93 from Hodgson Road during peak hours feels like running a death gauntlet. Yet, despite widespread community fear, the Montana Department of Transportation’s current plans completely ignore our safety. MDT is planning a resurfacing project for this exact stretch of Highway 93, but they have explicitly stated it will only cover maintenance like pavement crack sealing and new markings. No traffic signals. No new turn lanes. No operational upgrades whatsoever.
NBCMontana
MDT to conduct core sampling on US 93 and MT 35 this week
Drivers in Arlee, Ravalli and Polson should expect some delays this week as the Montana Department of Transportation conducts core sampling along U.S. Highway 93 and Montana Highway 35. Crews will collect core samples to test the strength of the roadway and help determine future repair needs. The work is...
Char-Koosta News
MDT to construct turn lanes in Lakeside on US 93
LAKESIDE — The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and Schellinger Construction will construct right turn lanes at the U.S. Highway 93 (US 93) and Goldenview Lane intersection and the US 93 and Legacy Park Way intersection from September 14 through the beginning of October, weather and other unforeseen factors permitting.
Whitefish Pilot
Council endorses grant application to fund Big Mountain Road roundabout
The Whitefish City Council directed staff last week to apply for a federal grant to help fund a proposed reroute of Big Mountain Road and a roundabout at its intersection with East Lakeshore Drive. Arthur Donnelly from Conti Partners, along with WGM Group engineers Mike Brody and Steven McDaniel, have been working on the proposed project with the city for about a year. Relocating Big Mountain Road approximately 350 to the east would give better sight lines and, according to the staff report, improve safety for all intersection users. “This would reroute the Big Mountain Road to a straight point in the curve,” Brody said. “Right now, that intersection is actually in the curve, which I'm sure you all do the look over your shoulder as you're trying to get out, to make that left ... but this would align the intersection at a perpendicular location on East Lakeshore Drive. The roundabout would then be at that intersection.” The lower section of Big Mountain Road runs through private property owned by Conti Partners. In addition to making the intersection safer, the road shift would allow the landowner to consolidate their holdings. In 2022, WGM developed plans for a roundabout at