UBVCC meeting features updates on roads, bridges and discussion of OHV traffic in town

Resurfacing paved streets in Lincoln has been the hot topic for the past few months, but updates on the roads and bridges outside of town dominated the Upper Blackfoot Valley Community Council meeting Tuesday, June 15.

Cattle Guards

Lewis and Clark County Road and Bridge Superintendent Kevin Horne said cattle guards were installed earlier this month on Stonewall Creek Road where it crosses property owned by Mike Stahly. The cattle guards ended a three-year dispute over access that began when Stahly installed gates to keep cattle off his property.

"It was great to get that done on Stonewall," Horne said. "It's good for us, it's good for the forest, it's good for the public to get those gates off there."

Horne said the county also installed a new cattle guard on Beaver Creek Road. He said it was a deal they'd reached with Paul Roos before he passed away. "We were able to work with his daughter to complete Paul's wishes on that."

Bridges

Horne also reported that work is underway on a temporary bridge on Poorman Creek, just below McClellan Gulch. The temporary bridge arrived Monday and was slated to be installed this week to allow for the removal of a culvert and installation of a new permanent bridge in its place. The temporary bridge will be one-way, but Horne said it shouldn't hinder traffic on Stemple Pass Road.

Work on the permanent bridge, which was funded by partners including the Big Blackfoot Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Forest Service, should begin in mid-July.

While didn't have an update on the Dalton Mountain Road Bridge, he said Public Works Director Eric Griffin has been pushing the Montana Department of Transportation to fast track the project.

Copper Creek

Council member Toni Austad asked about the poor conditioned Copper Creek road, both through the lower asphalt stretch, which has developed numerous potholes, and the gravel road beyond Landers Fork Bridge, which is wash boarded.

Copper Creek Road is a Forest Service Road, but the county plows it to Landers Fork Bridge and handles pothole patching, which is funded by the Forest Service. UBVCC Chairman Zach Muse noted that the repairs are contingent on the amount of funding the Forest Service can provide, which doesn't always meet the need.

He added that, beyond Landers Fork bridge, the heavy wash boarding is the result of traffic by horse trailers headed up the road.

About eight years ago, Copper Creek Road was the topic of significant discussion. Plans called for removal of the asphalt and rebuilding it as a gravel road, but local pushbackled to the decision to keep it asphalt, despite the maintenance issues.

Passing lanes

Muse, Griffin and Deputy Robert Rivera met with MDT's Zach Moeller Tuesday night, June 8, to talk about the passing zones east and west of town.

Moeller spent the day making his observations in the rain.

Since his observations weren't necessarily indicative Moller went to his boss, District administrator Jim Wingerter, who has helped Lincoln in the past.

They opted to foot the bill to install a camera that records 24-7. An outside company compiles the data and provides DOT with the results.

Muse said they hope to use the camera on a weekend after the Fourth, when they can get a more realistic picture of day-to-day activity. Moeller agreed to come up again on another Saturday to observe for himself.

"It's nice that they're doing that and it's going to give a really good picture of what's going on out there," he said.

Unlike the speed limit, the passing lane modification doesn't require approval during a Montana Transportation Commission meeting. Muse said a decision could come down by September.

In April, the Transportation Commission approved changing the speed limit just east of Lincoln from 70 mph to 60 mph. Muse said they should get the signs changed as soon as they have a chance.

OHV Concerns

Although not an agenda item, the council spent some time discussing growing concerns about ATVs and OHVs traveling on the shoulder of the road through town.

While it is legal to ride on the shoulder of the road with traffic, Lincoln's lack of designated walkways on main street means the shoulder is effectively also the sidewalk, which increases the chances for accidents.

Adding to the concern is the fact that many riders will often ride on the wrong shoulder, facing traffic. That increases the likelihood of accidents between OHVs and pedestrians or with drivers pulling into or out of parking lots.

Under state law OHV's and ATVs using public roads have to be street legal, with a license plate, headlight, tail light and mirror. That also means they can travel in the traffic lanes through Lincoln.

Regardless, council members generally agreed there is a need to educate riders that Lincoln isn't a free-for-all for ATVS and OHVs, and that people live and work here.

"It's a matter of policing your own, so that cops aren't policing them, and we lose what we have," Muse said.

He suggested it should start with the event coordinators for local fun runs and events.

"Whoever is putting the event on, it's on them to educate their people", he said. " If they don't, we're not going to have them. It's getting to that point where people are getting sick of it and somebody's going to scream to the wrong people enough.":

Another possible solution is working with the Lincoln Valley Chamber of Commerce and with bars and restaurants to help get the word out to visitors throughout the summer.

Board vacancies

The council remains one member short following the departure of Michael Stansberry. It had been short two members, but Ron Zarr was re-appointed to the council by the county commission last week after submitting the required paperwork. At the suggestion of council member Karyn Good, the council voted to retain Muse as the council chair, with Zarr as vice chair.