Guest speakers at the Seeley Community Council’s latest meeting went over several big projects happening around town, from the Lazy Acres RV Park to the future of the Boy Scout Bridge.
Traffic talk
Shane Stack, director of public works at Missoula County, said a speed study along Highway 83 from Salmon Lake to Condon will likely take place next summer. The council previously recommended the county do a study of traffic near Double Arrow Ranch.
“It’s kinda a long process,” Stack said. “I know (the Montana Department of Transportation) has a backlog of studies that they are trying to get done. Next summer is the time that it will happen, and then you probably won’t see anything go into the transportation commission until fall or winter of next year.”
While the county can
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request a speed study, and has already done so for three sites across Highway 83, MDT is responsible for carrying out the study. This summer, planners thought traffic discrepancies from the Salmon Lake construction and the Colt Fire could throw off the numbers.
Once the study is complete and is seen by the transportation commission, speed reductions could be in place across areas of concern north and south of Seeley Lake. Residents from Condon have also requested a speed study, as there is no lower speed going through the area.
In other traffic news, Stack said a resident of Seeley Lake offered to pay for three speed feedback signs around town. The cost for three signs is approximately $22,000. Stack said the county will find the cheapest option and hopefully install them soon.
Stack did not have many updates for the Boy Scout Bridge, which MDT limited to a three ton weight limit in August, which the Pathfinder had previously reported. Stack said any lower weight limit will effectively shut down the bridge.
Until then, Stack said the county is looking for a way to do winter maintenance on the site, which would not be able to hold a truck with an attached plow under the three ton limit. The county might use hand excavators or smaller vehicles.
Once MDT finishes its assessment of the bridge, Stack will know a little more on the future of the bridge. The likely option is replacement, which Stack said the county has been planning for.
“Fortunately, we have already hired HDR (engineering), and already completed an engineering report,” Shack said. We are in a good situation where we are pretty prepared as far as having a good understanding of the scope of work to replace the structure as well as the cost associated with the replacement.
Montana Senate Bill 536 passed by the legislature can also match grants for local infrastructure projects. Not sure if that will include Boy Scout Bridge, but there are also billions available from the federal government for replacing infrastructure, Stack said.
New RV park
Lazy Acres RV Park Executive Director Brandon Grosvenor said the site will probably open in 2025, partially limited by materials cost and design requirements by the county. He did say that the state of Montana approved the park’s septic system, which is a treated system.
“It’s like having a miniature sewer system underground,” Grosvenor said. “It will be 1.70 acres when it is all said and done.”
Grosvenor said the septic system will be reviewed every four months for potential contamination, and must be reapproved every five years. Grosvenor added that the electricity will come from Missoula Electric Co-Op and water from the Seeley Lake Water District.
While final plans are being designed, the park cannot bid out the project because of state code. Grosvenor said the park is 90% designed, and bids might start going out this winter. As for some questions brought by the public, Grosvenor said he has yet to make a decision on long term stays, but his tone during the meeting suggested he might be opposed down the line.
“Long term stay was never the intention from day one, the intention was to capture the traveling tourists who have nowhere to park when they are going through town,” he said.
The RV dump station will also be used for customers of the RV Park only, he said.
Water monitoring
Seeley Sewer District Manager Bill Decker said after working on monitoring wells during the summer, the district plans to keep collecting data about water quality across Seeley Lake. Debate was heavy, over how the district should monitor water and if that monitoring should include bodies of water like Seeley Lake.
Last month there was a full update from the water sampling wells. Last week Decker finished sampling for the third quarter. After discussing with the engineers, they will go back to the dry wells and get more data.
At the end of the meeting, one resident proposed upgrades to the Seeley Lake Transfer Station to manage groundwater and trash better. The proposal will be directed to the Missoula County Commissioners.
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