New parking restrictions approved for four streets

Whitefish City Council last week approved changes to parking restrictions on four streets around town.

On Arielle Way, semi-truck traffic will be prohibited from Shiloh Avenue to JP Road. The nearby Riverwood Park Community Association requested the change based on safety concerns for children as well as infrastructure concerns.

Public Works Director Craig Workman says restricting truck traffic along Arielle Way will increase safety and extend the life of the roadway.

On Shiloh Avenue, no parking will be allowed on the west side of the street from JP Road to Lena Joy Drive. The request for the change came from the Riverwood community also.

Wokman said there has been increased weekday parking on both sides of the street, which reduces the roadway down to one lane and reduces visibility at intersections.

City plans anticipate that Shiloh Avenue will eventually connect to Whitefish Avenue in the future, at which time the city expects that no parking on either side would be allowed.

Workman says that when that does occur, the city will work with property owners to potentially widen the street to allow parking on at least one side of the road.

On Dodger Lane, there will now be no parking on either side of the roadway. Residents in the neighborhood made the request raising concerns about vehicles parking along the road to access the dog park and skate park.

Workman says this causes backups in traffic when vehicles are parked on both sides, as well as vision issues at intersections. Also because there’s no curb and gutter along the roadway vehicles pull into the grass, which kills the grass and creates erosion issues, he notes.

Workman said that for special events it may be possible to temporarily lift the parking ban on Dodger Lane.

On Flathead Avenue, there will now be no parking on either side of the roadway.

The Public Works Department, Police and Fire departments asked for the change from Baker Avenue to the Emergency Services Center. The north side of the road is already designated as no parking; however, this is a primary route traveled by emergency vehicles and parking along the road way reduces the driving width of the street which can increase response time.

The cost to install signs related to the changes is about $250.

During its meeting, Council also approved a minor subdivision preliminary plat for Apsen View II. The two-lot subdivision is on about 1.79-acres and is located on Texas Avenue.