Jan. 20—On Tuesday, Whitefish is poised to adopt a transportation plan aimed at reducing crashes and improving overall safety.
The Whitefish Safe Streets for All Safety Plan has been in the works since the city was awarded a Safe Streets for All Grant in 2023. The city has completed an extensive planning process to develop the plan including holding open houses and holding meetings to engage with key stakeholders.
Adoption of the plan will allow for future construction grants and is expected to outline implementation steps to achieve a goal of zero fatalities and serious injuries by 2030, according to a memo from Public Works Director Craig Workman.
Council meets on Tuesday because of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. The meeting begins at 7:10 p.m. at City Hall, 418 E Second St.
Montana Department of Transportation crash records show a total of 530 crashes reported within the Whitefish city limits over a five-year analysis period of January 2018 to December 2022. Of those crashes, about 16% resulted in some level of injury. There were two fatalities.
A higher number of crashes occurred on weekdays and peaks were recorded for the time of day were at 8 a.m., around noon and between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. The highest number of crashes occurred in January, while 29% were in summer months and 35% in winter months.
There was a higher concentration of crashes in the downtown area and along U.S. 93.
The plan outlines general strategies for improving safety through education, enforcement and engineering by looking for ways to improve roadways for vehicles as well as pedestrians and bicyclists.
The plan includes site-specific safety project recommendations identified through historic crash analysis and public input. Improvement areas are outlined near Muldown Elementary, Whitefish Middle School, Whitefish School and at various intersections around downtown and on U.S. 93.
Also on the agenda, the city’s Climate Action Plan Standing Committee is expected to present its recommendation that the city investigate the possibility of establishing metered parking in downtown Whitefish. The aim would be to raise funds to expand public transportation options while making it easier to park near downtown businesses, according to a memo addressed to Council.
“Free parking downtown actively encourages residents and visitors alike to drive rather than walk, cycle, or utilize our public transportation options, such as the [SNOW] bus,” the committee says. “This car dependency is a barrier to the proliferation of alternate modes of transportation.”
The memo is signed by members of the committee including Dakota Whitman, Nathan Dugan, Robin Paone, Stasia Muhlner and Keegan Siebenaler.
Council is set to vote on an update to its agreement with the Whitefish Housing Authority to develop the Depot Park Townhomes on what was previously known as the snow lot downtown. The city donated the lot and authorized spending $2 million toward the project that would create deed-restricted housing.
During a work session at 5:30 p.m., Council will hear an update from firm TischlerBise regarding a transportation impact fee study.
Impact fees are one-time charges for new development or remodels to compensate for the cost of public infrastructure required to provide services. State law allows local governments to charge impact fees but provides limitations on how those fees may be established and calculated.
It will also get an update from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks representatives regarding chronic wasting disease found in deer at the Flathead County Landfill and the impact that has for Whitefish. The state agency last fall confirmed 10 cases of the fatal disease in a herd of white-tailed deer around the landfill.
Deputy Editor Heidi Desch may be reached at 758-4421 or hdesch@dailyinterlake.com.