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1 Associated Chamber of the Flathead Valley I 15 Depot Park, Kalispell, MT 59901 I [PHONE REDACTED] Associated Chambers of the Flathead Valley Civic advancement organizations serving Northwest Montana June 27, 2018 The Honorable Elaine Chao United States Secretary of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Re: Letter of Support for BUILD Grant Funding for the Kalispell Bypass Dear Madam Secretary: On behalf of our members, investors, and the citizens we serve in the three-county area of Northwest Montana, the below signed 15 organizations would like to offer our strong support for U.S. Department of Transportation BUILD grant funding for the southern half of the Kalispell Bypass. The Associated Chambers of the Flathead Valley consist of organizations in the civic advancement space including chambers of commerce, tourism organizations, downtown associations, and economic development agencies in Flathead, Lake, and Lincoln counties of Montana. The full-build completion of the Kalispell Bypass will have significant and positive transportation system impacts for all of Northwest Montana. Residents and visitors travelling north on U.S. 93 from Polson, Bigfork, and Lakeside to communities like Whitefish, Eureka, and Columbia Falls, and attractions like the Whitefish Mountain Resort and Glacier National Park will be able to travel more safely and with less congestion and idle time. At the same time, residents and visitors at the north end of the region will be able to access the lower Valley and Interstate 90 in Missoula with far less travel time. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Kalispell is the 3rd fastest growing micropolitan area in the United States for the period 2016 to 2017. As a result of this growth and the 45% growth in tourism in the last three-years, the Bypass is already at its 20-year traffic count projections just three years after opening. The improvement of this facility will have major safety and quality of life improvements for commercial traffic, residents and visitors alike. Most importantly, a four lane alternate bypass route for U.S. 93 around the west side of Flathead County was considered and approved in a 1994 Final Environmental Impact Study as part of the regional improvements to the highway. ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 Associated Chamber of the Flathead Valley I 15 Depot Park, Kalispell, MT 59901 I [PHONE REDACTED] For these reasons, the undersigned 15 civic advancement organizations in Northwest Montana urge you to approve the Kalispell Bypass for BUILD grant support. With Warm Regards, Associated Chambers of the Flathead Valley Rebekah King, Executive Director Bigfork Chamber of Commerce Laura Gadwa, Executive Director Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce Katrina Schmidt, President Eureka Chamber of Commerce Ken Kalvig, President Evergreen Chamber of Commerce Jerry Meerkatz, Executive Director Flathead County Economic Development Authority Racene Friede, Executive Director Glacier Country Tourism Commission Joe Unterreiner, President and CEO Kalispell Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitor Bureau Diane Medler, Director Kalispell Convention and Visitor Bureau Pam Carbonari, Executive Director Kalispell Downtown Association David Fetveit, President Lakeside-Somers Chamber of Commerce Amber Pacheco-Holm, Board Member Libby Chamber of Commerce Jerry Meerkatz, President and CEO Montana West Economic Development Amber Blodgett, Executive Director Polson Chamber of Commerce Kevin Gartland, Executive Director Whitefish Chamber of Commerce Dylan Boyle, Executive Director Whitefish Convention and Visitor Bureau ---PAGE BREAK--- REGIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE KALISPELL BYPASS Eureka Chamber of Commerce Bigfork Chamber of Commerce Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce Evergreen Chamber of Commerce Flathead County Economic Development Authority Glacier Country Tourism Commission, Missoula Montana West Economic Development Kalispell Chamber of Commerce Kalispell Convention & Visitor Bureau Kalispell Downtown Association Lakeside-Somers Chamber of Commerce Libby Chamber of Commerce Polson Chamber of Commerce Whitefish Chamber of Commerce CANADA IDAHO Missoula 115 miles from Kalispell NORTHWEST MONTANA 10 miles Whitefish Convention & Visitor Bureau