Pave section of road

To the editor,

According to the Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD), the section of North Fork Road being considered for a feasibility study is a state highway. The section is listed in their inventory and would be eligible for paving using federal, state and local funding with the WFLHD undertaking the major portion of planning, designing and construction. Flathead County and the Forest Service needs only to seek assistance through the project proposal process. This information is not secret and the details are available to inquiring minds. For County Commissioner Jim Dupont to state he "don't think it (paving) will happen" might well be tied to an unwillingness to get the facts and get the process moving. Taking the negativity road will lead in that direction. It also might be helpful if Commissioner Dupont made an effort to find out why a state secondary highway is being maintained by the county since he doesn't seem to know. As a commissioner, it would seem he should be vitally interested in doing all he can to relieve the county budget of the cost of maintaining the Canyon Creek to Camas North Fork Road section.

This only unpaved state highway in the nation serving a National Park is not a road without a destination. It is a section leading to an unmanned entrance to Glacier National Park where fee payment can be avoided albeit illegal to do so. If paving this section of the North Fork Road has an impact on threatened and endangered species then do paved roads in national parks protect these species?

The comments in this article seem to be mixing all sections of the North Fork Road and obfuscating the issue. Road sections that dead end at the Canadian Border are not under consideration for improvement under this feasibility study. Fair and balanced reportage on this issue would be appreciated.

I say finish the job! Pave the section at issue, post a 45 mph speed limit to protect the same species roaming Glacier National Park environs while vastly reducing dust and the resulting silt in the North Fork of the Flathead River. Turn the 10.1 miles over to the state for maintenance and eliminate the expense now borne by the county roads department.

Robert A. Grimaldi

Polebridge