January is the month when everyone looks back on the previous year to see what the biggest news stories were and to make resolutions for the year that is just beginning. Hopefully, the resolutions will improve us in some way. We are no different on the North Fork.

For many years, the North Fork Road has been the biggest topic of controversy in the area – pave or don’t pave? Not in 2011. County improvements have reduced the road almost to a non-issue.

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Not long ago, I was not very optimistic that the Resource Advisory Committee would grant money to all of Flathead County’s requests for road improvement projects. My pessimism was due in part to the fact that RAC projects had already provided funds for the North Fork Road stretching from Camas Junction nearly to Whale Creek…

I am pleased to announce that I was wrong again. Last week, RAC granted $25,350 for dust abatement on the North Fork Road in 2012…

On a sad note, word was received this week of the passing of Karen Feather’s sainted mother, Bettie Jacobsen…

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The river continues to run high and muddy, but so far no real damage from flooding. In my view, every day that passes makes a major flood less likely. I would not say a flood is impossible, but I sure think the chances are a lot less likely than they were two weeks ago.

The road is also better. Flathead County crews worked last week to at least mitigate the problems. Wurtz Hill was smoothed out somewhat, and the lowest slumps were evened out so that all of the ledges are gone and the hill is passable for passenger cars, but it’s still rough and drivers need to go slowly.

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Yes, there is still concern that there could be flooding on the North Fork. No, it is not a certainty, and we just have to wait and see how fast the snow melts in the high country.

For all intents and purposes, the North Fork Road is now closed from just north of Joe Franchini’s driveway to the international border. There are two obstacles…

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It may have been cold, wet, and nasty in the Flathead Valley this last week, but it was twice as nasty on the North Fork.

All in all, that has been a good thing for the river. Although the river is muddy and running nearly bank-full, there has been no flood damage. The threat of flooding is not over, merely postponed. There’s still a lot of snow in the high country, but I remain confident that we will not have major flooding unless we have heavy warm rain. The cold rain of the week is supposed to be replaced this week with warming temperatures and little rain. Hopefully, although the river will be high, we will have little damage.

The rain did have an affect on the North Fork Road…

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(Many roads in the Flathead National Forest are in rough shape, too. Call one of the ranger stations for the latest conditions: Hungry Horse/Glacier View at 387-3800, Tally Lake at 758-5204, Swan Lake at 837-7500 and Spotted Bear at 758-5376.)

The placement of a dust-control product on 42 miles of gravel roads in Flathead County is scheduled to begin around June 1.

County commissioners last week awarded a contract for the work to Montana Dust Control of Whitefish…

The county has budgeted $100,000 for the work; participating property owners along the involved roads share in the cost for another $100,000.

This year, for the first time, more county residents applied for the program than the county had budgeted funds for the work, county Public Works Director Dave Prunty said.

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This winter, I have spent more time in my Columbia Falls residence than up the North Fork. It has had some advantages. In town, I have a computer and have received a number of e-mails from North Fork landowners who reside in all corners of the U.S…

Four e-mails liked the columns about North Fork history and asked for more information about the Forest Service and the North Fork Road. As luck would have it, Lee Downes loaned me a Forest Service pamphlet prepared by Fred Burnell in 1980. The title is “History of Development of North Fork Road No. 210.” The following information came from the pamphlet.

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I made two round trips from Trail Creek to Columbia Falls this week and one of my neighbors asked how I fared on the terrible road. My reply was that I thought the road was really good – for the time of year.

How you view the North Fork Road is a matter of perception. If you compare it to Interstate 90 it is always awful. In fact, by comparison, it isn’t a road at all, it’s a nearly impassable ditch.

If you compare it to how it was in 1950 it is greatly improved…

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Flathead County residents still have an opportunity to participate in a cost-share program related to dust control on county-maintained gravel roads.

Flathead County Public Works Director Dave Prunty and Flathead County Road and Bridge Supervisor Ovila Byrd said the deadline to apply for the dust control program now is 4:30 p.m. Monday, March 21.

People can split the cost with the county to have magnesium chloride applied to roads at their properties, Prunty said.

Residents must sign up for a minimum stretch of a half-mile of roadway.

People have a few options in how they apply, Prunty said. They may call the Road Department at 758-5790, drop by the office or visit the county’s website under the road department tab where an application is available under the forms section.

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Only additional grading and stabilization treatments for the North Fork Road have broad public support, according to a recently completed study of the road corridor.

The North Fork Flathead Road Corridor Study does not recommend a specific project for the road, but instead focuses on improvement options.

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