Carmageddon - the sequel

Commuters beware, the Second Street reconstruction project is set to start up again this coming Monday, April 2. The intersection at Spokane Avenue and Second Street in downtown Whitefish will be closed to traffic for about two months.

U.S. 93 traffic will be detoured onto Baker Avenue, similar to the detour at the end of the reconstruction project last fall. Work includes replacing storm drains and putting down new concrete at the intersection. The project is funded by a $3.5 million federal TIGER grant.

City engineer Karin Hilding said traffic snarls won’t be as common as they were at the start of the project last year when commuters were sent through a maze of one-way streets in Whitefish residential areas. The city dubbed the project last fall as “carmageddon.”

This time, expect a bite-sized version of carmageddon, Hilding said.

Traffic from U.S. 93 South will be detoured onto Baker at 13th Street. Cars will most likely stack up at the Second and Baker intersection with no left-turn signal for commuters on Baker who need to turn onto U.S. 93 West. Adding to the cluster, the left-turn lane will be taken out to give semi-trucks enough room to turn south onto Baker from U.S. 93 West. The city has asked the Department of Transportation to adjust the traffic signals at the intersection to help move traffic.

Commuters coming from U.S. 93 South looking to get to the middle school can turn at 13th Street onto Columbia Avenue, or at a temporary four-way stop at Third Street and Spokane. There will also be a temporary four-way stop at the Kalispell and Second Street intersection.

Reconstruction work is expected to last until the beginning of June, although spring weather could hamper the work schedule.

“Spring construction is tricky,” Hilding said.

The reconstruction project extends all the way to Baker where finish work will be in progress. This includes landscaping, adding decorative street lights and an irrigation system.

This week, new traffic signals are being installed at the Baker and Central intersection. The signals will continue to operate like the old signals until the project is complete in June, Hilding notes.