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By Nicole Miller Plans to abandon tracks in downtown Kalispell move forward Posted: Mar 21, 2018 4:52 PM MDT Updated: Mar 21, 2018 7:06 PM MDT KALISPELL - Plans to transform downtown Kalispell with a linear park and trail stretching from the overpass on Highway 2 all the way to Meridian are rolling forward. City leaders believe it will lead to more investment in development in the heart of Kalispell. ---PAGE BREAK--- Two rail-served businesses CHS, Cenex Harvest Systems as well as Northwest Drywall Building Supply are on track to be relocated. Plans to abandon the tracks in downtown Kalispell to make way for a trail and linear park continue to roll forward. FCEDA President Jerry Meerkatz says CHS has until November of 2019 to completely relocate to the rail park. "We signed the deÒnitive agreements with CHS on the 21st that will allow them to begin the relocation process of moving to the rail park." The site for grain elevators, a fertilizer facility and new local corporate oÕces will allow CHS to consolidate their three distinct business locations in the center of Kalispell to one central location zoned for heavy industry. Additionally, CHS will construct a new fueling station at the intersection of Montclair Drive, East Oregon Lane and Flathead Drive. "Once CHS is completely relocated to the rail park we can then begin the process of abandoning the tracks and taking the tracks out of downtown Kalispell," said Meerkatz. "Until that point in time there is still being rail served in downtown Kalispell." Meerkatz says the tracks will likely begin to come out as early as the end of 2019, but probably more likely the spring of 2020. He says Northwest Drywall Building Supply will also be relocated from their current location in downtown Kalispell to the rail park, but their process is much simpler. He says he expects them to be relocated by September/October of this year. Included in the agreements between the two entities is FCEDA’s plan to buy the three properties in the center of Kalispell from CHS after the company’s new facilities are built and the company has relocated to the Glacier Rail Park. The agreements are one more step toward the Kalispell Core and Rail Redevelopment vision that was initiated by the City of Kalispell in partnership with FCEDA to develop a rail- served industrial park for Flathead County and move the City of Kalispell closer to the goal of removing the train tracks from the center of downtown Kalispell. The project was Òrst launched in 2012 and is partially funded by a $10 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. ---PAGE BREAK--- Overall the project is expected to bring approximately $40 million in direct infrastructure and new facility construction over approximately three years. Additional new development in the Kalispell Core Area is expected once the rail is removed and the new pedestrian trail and linear park are constructed. In the summer of 2018 the City of Kalispell will begin community outreach as the design for the trail and linear park begins in earnest. The Glacier Rail Park is currently under construction. Road and utility improvements throughout and around the Rail Park are underway, including a new traÕc signal and turning lanes at the intersection of US Highway 2 East, Woodland Park Drive and Flathead Drive. All surrounding roads will be built for heavy truck traÕc. These upgraded roads and utilities will beneÒt not just Glacier Rail Park, but also the surrounding neighborhoods and businesses. Road improvements on Highway 2 will allow for left hand turning lanes in all directions smoothing the ow of traÕc. In addition to the new CHS Facility, Northwest Drywall and Building Supply will be located there as well. FCEDA will work with Mission Mountain Rail to provide team track services within the Rail Park to companies located throughout NW Montana that require the ability to load or unload materials from rail cars on an occasional basis. FCEDA is actively searching for one more company requiring up to 10 acres and rail service to lease or purchase property in the Rail Park.