Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is receiving feedback on a proposal to relocate the state’s fishing site to Sportsman’s Bridge ahead of the framing of a new stretch on the Flathead River.
The National Wildlife Agency is proposing to move the fishing site, most recently on the east bank of the river, to the west bank. It also plans to expand its length to accommodate more people.
The existing spot is very busy, said Dillon Tabish, regional manager of the education and communications program for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
“It’s very popular,” Tabish said, but it’s confined to its current location. It’s practically hidden right under the bridge.
The proposed new site, which would cover approximately 18. 2 acres, would supply approximately 1,000 feet of shoreline from the Flathead River.
The upcoming replacement of the Sportsman’s Bridge at Montana 82, just northwest of the Bigfork, by the state Department of Transportation has prompted efforts to overhaul the related fishing access point. The bridge, built in 1955, is not designed to accommodate the larger cars in use today or to accommodate the increased traffic due to population growth.
The 686-foot-long bridge will be replaced by a 706-foot-long span with two 12-foot lanes and two 10-foot shoulders. It will be built next to the south side of the existing structure. Construction is expected to begin in 2025.
The net may look toward an “ever-larger bridge” as well as an “ever-larger fishing spot,” Tabish said.
But firm officials still need to know if the public is interested in the proposed project.
“This is an exciting progression for the Bigfork community, though it delays the structure of the bridge,” Bob Vosen, Missoula district administrator for the Montana Department of Transportation, said in a statement. “FWP and MDT listened to the public’s concerns, evaluated conceivable options, and discovered a chosen site on the west bank of the Flathead River that provides greater access. “
The existing access site is located without delay to the south of the bridge. The new bridge, as it requires a wider right-of-way, would access this fishing site.
When looking for a location for the access site, the National Wildlife and Transportation Agencies on both sides of the river. During the progression of the plans, a landowner on the west bank of the river came forward.
The proposed new site will allow for more traffic on this segment of the river and a safer road network according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
However, there are 3 features of the fishing site presented to the public. The first would be to take no action, which means the removal of the Sportsman’s Bridge fishing site.
The option of the moment, the preferred one, covers the aforementioned proposal: the removal of the existing one and the creation of a larger one on the other side of the river.
The third option would change the existing one on the east side of the river to facilitate the structure of the new bridge.
The environmental assessment, conducted through the National Wildlife Agency, found few negative impacts.
The option, if approved, would come with a double concrete jetty for shallow water, parking domain and double-stall latrines.
For more information on the online comments project, https://fwp. mt. gov/public-notices/news/2024/apr/0423–sportsmans-bridge-fas-environmental-assessment. Written comments may be sent to Fish, Wildlife & Parks of Montana, Sportsman Bridge FAS EA, 490 N. Meridian Rd. , Kalispell, MT 59901.
For more information on the bridge replacement project, https://www. mdt. mt. gov/pubinvolve/flathead/.
Journalist Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake. com or 758-4459.