Residents, businesses split over Main Street streetscape as council weighs Safe Streets grant application

Dozens of Kalispell residents and downtown business owners gave public comment on a proposed Main Street streetscape project and a related Safe Streets grant application, with speakers sharply divided over pedestrian safety, parking, snow removal and long-term infrastructure costs.

Supporters told the council the grant could fund needed upgrades to sidewalks, traffic calming and downtown infrastructure. Mel Noyes, a downtown resident, said, “I urge you to move forward and apply [for] the grant.” Several business owners and representatives, including the chair of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, argued the project could make downtown safer and more attractive to shoppers and visitors and — if paired with bypass and other work — reduce truck traffic through the core.

Opponents said the plan would remove vehicle lanes or parking, worsen congestion, complicate deliveries and create snow‑removal problems in winter. Multiple speakers, including owners who work downtown, said limited parking is already a major constraint for customers and employees and that a wider sidewalk would not necessarily translate to sustained foot traffic. One long‑time resident warned the design would concentrate maintenance burdens — “Who’s going to shovel snow on these sidewalks?” — and several speakers asked whether a parking garage or other parking solutions had been fully considered.

Why it matters: Supporters framed the project as part of a broader push to reclaim downtown Main Street for pedestrians and small businesses, and as a way to fund infrastructure updates that are otherwise unaffordable. Opponents said the plan risks harming existing businesses and residents by reducing parking and adding recurring maintenance and operational costs.

Key facts and claims from the hearing - Grant and match: Multiple speakers described the proposed award as a large competitive grant; one speaker described it as a $25,000,000 grant and estimated a roughly 20% local match (speaker characterized the match as “roughly $6 million”). The council did not adopt funding commitments during the comment period. (Amounts and match were reported by speakers during public comment and are attributed in the transcript.) - Safety and traffic data: A speaker who identified herself as Jen Davis cited local population and crash figures and said the public record shows hundreds of crashes over multi‑year periods; she urged the council to weigh the data when deciding whether to alter lanes. The council did not introduce new crash studies on the record during public comment. - Downtown plan history: Multiple speakers referenced a 2017 downtown plan and said physical infrastructure needs (storm, sewer, water) remain a major constraint on reuse of upper‑floor space and economic revitalization.

What supporters said - Bill Melley, identified as chair of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, urged support for the safety grant and said improved sidewalks and traffic calming could help downtown businesses and make the area more family friendly. He and other business owners said redesigning Main Street — together with bypass work to carry through‑traffic — would encourage retail and restaurant investment. - Several residents and business representatives argued the project would improve pedestrian safety, reduce through truck traffic if paired with bypass improvements, and address long‑deferred infrastructure issues cited in the 2017 plan.

What opponents said - Multiple downtown business owners and residents said parking is already scarce and that removing lanes or curbside parking would make customer access harder and could reduce business revenues. Several speakers warned that the wider sidewalks would be underused outside of a few summer months and would increase the city’s snow‑clearing burden. - Delivery drivers and former drivers pointed to operational issues, saying two travel lanes help deliveries and emergency access, and cautioned that narrowing lanes could create bottlenecks.

Council action and next steps - The council received public comment and continued the matter for further consideration at a June 2 meeting, allowing staff and council members time to collect additional information on traffic modeling, parking solutions and the grant application.

Ending: The public hearing drew lengthy, sometimes emotional comment from residents and business owners who repeatedly urged the council either to apply for the grant to obtain capital for downtown improvements or to pause and resolve parking, snow removal and infrastructure questions first. Councilmembers signaled they would seek additional data before taking a final vote on a grant application or design concept.