West Seventh rebuild slated for 2015
Reconstruction of West Seventh Street has been tabbed as Whitefish’s next resort tax funded street reconstruction project.
City Council voted unanimously Feb. 18 in support of moving forward with the project after hearing from a line of residents who said the rebuild is needed and long overdue.
“In the 30 years I’ve lived there the road has been repaved once,” West Seventh resident Jim Trout told councilors. “Other than that, it’s exactly how it was when I built my home.”
The roadway from Baker Avenue to Karrow Avenue is slated to be rebuilt with curbs, a sidewalk, a bike and pedestrian path and streetlights. Water, sewer and other utilities will also be upgraded, and overhead utilities could be buried.
Some neighborhood residents had voiced opposition to the rebuild at the Feb. 3 council meeting, saying it would ruin the rural character of the area.
“I appreciate the folks who like the rural character,” Trout said, “but we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
“At the end of day, it’s long overdue. It’s not a country lane to nowhere. It’s a through city street.”
Fairway Drive resident Greg Beck agreed, saying the country feel of the area ceased to exist long ago.
“That ship has sailed, it’s not coming back,” he said.
He said sidewalks or a bike path are needed for safety.
“I can testify to the number of times I’ve been walking or biking and had to go into the ditch to avoid being hit,” he said.
Roland Newton has lived on West Seventh since 1977. He supports the project and says sewer lines should be extended to nearby properties.
According to Public Works Director John Wilson, none of the properties west of Geddes Avenue are hooked up to city sewer.
Wilson reminded residents no final decisions have been made about the project and that design details can be tweaked as the public process plays out.
“We will take the neighborhood into consideration,” he said. “There’s plenty of public involvement to come.”
Engineering and design work is slated to take place this year, with construction beginning in 2015.