U.S. 93 is not Main Street

During the recent meeting concerning the Riverdale Neighborhood Plan, one of the Flathead County Commissioners stated, “I’m going to have to take the position that the 93 corridor is where you have business operations.”

What a significant and far-ranging position, a position that could have dramatic impact on the future of the Flathead Valley.

The effect of the commissioner’s position is that local business access to U.S. Highway 93 has priority over mobility. Presently U.S. 93 is a mobility corridor for rapid vehicle transit between Kalispell and Whitefish. Transportation mobility is the priority for the corridor.

If commercial access becomes the priority, that access will slow traffic, increase accident risk and contribute to future air pollution as vehicles spend more and more time idling at stoplights.

I don’t know if making U.S 93 the Main Street for Riverdale is a good idea or not. But in 10 years, if you want to get from Whitefish to Kalispell quickly, you better plan to be shot out of a cannon.

Imagine the degradation of mobility that will occur if the priority of commercial access is also applied to U.S. 2 and Montana 35.

Myrt Webb

Columbia Falls