Tag Archives: road maintenance

Larry Wilson: No outhouses in RAC project list

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Larry starts off discussing some of the projects proposed to the Resource Advisory Committee and finishes up pointing out that bears can do it, but you can’t — at least not on federal land . . .

The Resource Advisory committee (RAC) has been reauthorized for one year. Previous reauthorizations have all been for three years, so this year’s federal dollars may well be the last. Of course, we were told last year that the 2012 monies would be the end of the program, so who knows?

At any rate, the North Fork has received a great amount of money over the years helping to fund road work, battle weeds, thin timber, repair trails and, no doubt, things I have forgotten. Because we have received so much in recent years, we should not really be surprised at the low number of North Fork requests this year.

Flathead County has only requested funding for eight miles of dust abatement, from Camas Junction to Polebridge…

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Section of Glacier’s inside North Fork Road to open

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Another stretch of the inside North Fork Road should open by the weekend. Don’t make any heavy bets on the rest of it opening up, though . . .

Roughly six miles of the North Fork Road between the Fish Creek Campground and Camas Creek Bridge is expected to open this weekend, Glacier National Park officials said on Wednesday.

Road crews are currently completing temporary repairs, including grading of the area and laying surface gravel to improve conditions after continuous flooding. The section of the road between Polebridge and Logging Creek opened to vehicle traffic in May.

The road between Camas Creek Bridge and Logging Creek will remain closed due to flooding and road washout.

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Larry Wilson: Red saplings aren’t dying

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Larry discusses what is causing a lot of young lodgepole pine to turn red, admires the work being done on the road and brings us up to date on NFLA activities . . .

Federal and state forestry offices and several retired foresters have been inundated with calls from concerned North Fork residents in the last couple of weeks.

Young lodgepole pine, regeneration from the Wedge Canyon and Robert fires of 2003 seemed to be dying. The saplings, mostly three feet in height or less, were turning red in large numbers and appeared to be dead or dying. Thus the many calls and visits to foresters.

From what I can gather, all the foresters agree. The disease is called Liphodermella needlecast and generally shows up one year after a moist to wet spring — like we had last year. Fortunately, it looks worse right now than it really is. Unless it occurs for an extended period, it seldom kills trees.

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Larry Wilson: North Fork road improvements

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Larry discusses the steady improvements to the North Fork Road, as well as several other projects that have benefited the North Fork . . .

It has been an interesting week weather wise on the North Fork. One day, I was wearing short pants and a T-shirt in near 80-degree weather. The next, I was back in long johns, long pants, flannel shirt and needing a jacket to go outside. Normal spring weather.

The gardeners were all in favor of the rain we received for the rest of the week, but no one was too happy about the colder weather. It did bring other benefits.

The freshly graded road from Camas Bridge to Trail Creek junction was getting pretty dusty, especially north of Polebridge, and the rain settled it for now. Plus, the Flathead County Road Department began putting crushed rock on the road above Polebridge…

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Most difficult Sun Road work just about finished

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Looks like the worst of the remaining Going-to-the-Sun Road maintenance in Glacier National Park should be wrapped up by next spring . . .

Glacier National Park visitors again can expect traffic delays on Going-to-the-Sun Road this summer due to a long-term road reconstruction project.

But the $137 million Sun Road rehabilitation project’s most difficult phase on the road’s alpine section is expected to be almost entirely finished by this fall.

“The most expensive, most difficult construction areas, the ones with the adverse weather and short seasons, our plan is to have that done at the latest by spring of 2013,” said Jack Gordon, the park’s landscape architect.

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County road dust control program returns

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It’s time again to sign up for the county road dust control cost-share program . . .

Once again, residents living on unpaved county roads will have a chance to participate in a cost-share program to control dust from passing vehicles.

Letters were recently sent out to residents who participated in the program over the past three years to see if they want to participate again. Newcomers seeking information on the program can call the county road department at 758-5790 or visit online at http://flathead.mt.gov/roads_bridges. Deadline to sign up is March 16.

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Flathead County road department is planning ahead

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Well, we can’t go too many weeks without talking about the darn road. So, here’s the latest, courtesy of the Daily Inter Lake. The item of most direct interest to North Forkers is that the county will probably start taking applications for this summer’s dust control cost-share program in February . . .

The work plan that classifies and prioritizes Flathead County road projects will be updated in the next few months, following Thursday action by the county commissioners.

County Public Works Director Dave Prunty asked commissioners to approve a $7,900 expenditure to Peccia and Associates to update that plan, which they prepared about two years ago. The document identifies which roads will be maintained and which roads will be improved each year.

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Larry Wilson: On wolf hunts, personal postal service and bentonite

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This week, Larry talks about the ongoing wolf hunt, Becky Hardy, the former — and much appreciated — North Fork mail lady and the last bit of road maintenance before the weather closed in.

Still no snow to aid hunters, but near neighbors have managed to harvest another white-tailed buck and two bull elk. Another neighbor managed to get one of the five cow elk tags available by drawing. He is still looking.

The quota for North Fork wolves is two, and I have not heard of any being taken…

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Larry Wilson: Optimism and glee over funding

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This week, Larry discusses the good news that funding has been approved for additional improvements to the North Fork Road and for additional efforts at weed control. On a more somber note, he also announces the passing of Bettie Jacobsen . . .

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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Larry Wilson: North Fork roads, weeds and toilets

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Larry covers a lot of territory in this week’s column. There’s lots of good information on pending road improvement and weed control projects, as well as a brief discussion of a …uh… tourist traffic related issue.

I think almost all North Forkers have been pleased with the use of federal and Flathead County funds on the North Fork Road from Camas Junction to Polebridge.

That work, done with a 50 percent Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) grant and 50 percent county funds, has provided a smooth, virtually dust-free corridor on the section of the road that has the most traffic in the summer.

County maintenance on the paved portion from Home Ranch near Coal Creek to Hay Creek Bridge has also helped. The RAC grant was approved in 2009 and most work was completed in 2010. Additional dust abatement was approved in 2010 and applied in 2011 with county matching funds.

Also, a 2010 grant was approved for an additional eight miles of gravel mixed with bentonite binder to be applied from Polebridge north…

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