Water projects to disrupt traffic on Grand

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

Take a deep breath, Bigfork. It's only going to last a little while.

A major sewer project on Grand Drive in downtown Bigfork will disrupt traffic and cause a few detours starting March 17. The project will install a new water main to replace an outdated and leaky one, according to Julie Spencer of Bigfork Water and Sewer.

The project will run from the lower bus parking lot at Bigfork schools and run to the Bigfork Inn at the end of Electric Avenue. The project is slated to end by Memorial Day weekend.

Spencer said a new main must be installed on the South side of the street and then a series of tie-in lines will have to be installed across Grand to service the businesses on the North side of the street. The current main is on the north side, but is too close to a sewer line to allow the new pipe to follow the same route. No water service will be affected during the construction, as the old main will remain in service until the new one is ready to go.

Though Grand won't be closed for the duration of the project, Spencer said there will be times when traffic either has to use Commerce Street or go to the other side of downtown to use the one lane bridge.

"This is one of the last sections (we have to replace) in that part of town," she said.

While the main Grand Drive project is in progress, Bigfork Water and Sewer will also be replacing a lift station next to the public dock downtown. That project will not affect public access to the dock for the majority of the project, Spencer said, though dump trucks will be in the area to build a vehicle access to the site on what is technically Lake Avenue, though the easement has not had a "road" on it in some time.

A small project will also be going on during the same time on the corner of River Street and Osborne Avenue downtown near the ReBar. That project will replace a line that is leaking and has caused a depression on the street.