No parking zone on Spokane paves way for new bus stop

Whitefish City Council last week agreed to designate a no parking zone on a block of Spokane Avenue that paves the way for a potential new bus stop at the location.

Council approved the no parking section for the northeast half of the 300 block of the street closest to the intersection with East Third Street.

Public Works Director Craig Workman recommended the no parking zone after receiving a request from the Big Mountain Commercial Association with the intention of creating a bus stop in the location for the SNOW bus.

“With changes to the physical structure of Central Avenue, the path through the center of town has become more dangerous for bus drivers to safely navigate,” he said, creating a need for a bus stop serving the southern end of downtown.

Workman said the bus stop would serve other transit providers also.

Jenny Cloutier, executive director of the Big Mountain Commercial Association, said the stop is ideally situated to serve downtown.

“This location is ideally situated to serve downtown businesses, residents of nearby neighborhoods, lodging properties and nearby schools,” she said. “It is also in a high visibility area that will help with outreach letting visitors to Whitefish know that there is a free bus service in our town.”

The SNOW bus has more than 80,000 riders per season and thus has an impact on alleviating traffic congestion in Whitefish, she noted, and the addition of a stop serving the southern end of downtown will continue to help lessen traffic impacts downtown.

The Montana Department of Transportation owns and maintains the roadway, Workman noted, and construction of the stop will require a 150 foot landing area to provide sufficient ingress and egress for buses to get out of the lane of traffic.

The change results in the elimination of up to two parking spaces.

A no parking zone already exists on the southwest side of the street next to First Interstate Bank, and would serve as the southbound bus stop.

Council also approved two other no parking zones in the city.

Based upon a request from neighborhood residents, a no parking zone will be created on the east side of Montana Avenue adjacent to 312 Edgewood Place. The zone eliminates about two parking spaces.

The location is at the foot of a steep hill and parking creates difficulties for vehicles turning onto Montana Avenue from Edgewood Place, according to the Public Works Department. Parked vehicles in the location also increase the risk for motorists trying to ascend the hill or those descending and attempting to stop at Edgewood Place, especially in the area.

Two no parking zones were approved along East Fourth Street just off Baker Avenue. The northeast half of the block closest to the Whitefish Credit Union and the southwest half of the block closest to the Post Office overflow parking lot have been set as no parking, which eliminates three parking spaces.

Workman said the road serves as a busy residential and commercial area and sees a considerable amount of traffic trying to avoid the traffic light at Second Street and Baker Avenue, and when vehicles are parked in those areas it creates difficulties for vehicles turning onto East Fourth Street from Baker Avenue and Lupfer Avenue.

The roadway is also not wide enough for four vehicles, so through traffic is forced to wait for oncoming traffic when vehicles are parked on both sides of the road, he noted.