'Gateway to Glacier?' Try paving Highway 486

To the editor,

Your column, "Let's build an arch" (Oct. 29, page A7), prompted me to dust off and update some thoughts about Highway 486, commonly known as the North Fork Road.

The Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce proclaims the city as the "Gateway to Glacier National Park." That's a catchy phrase, but West Glacier has a stronger claim. With in-depth vision and long-range planning, Columbia Falls could be the real gateway, offering an alternate route to Glacier National Park. The key is to complete the paving of a 10.1-mile section from Canyon Creek to the Camas entrance.

This portion of the road is Flathead County's responsibility, but remains a forest highway. This ensures that there would be no commercial development, as is the case on U.S. 2 from Columbia Heights to West Glacier.

With Forest Service cooperation, turnouts could be constructed on 486 to provide toilet facilities, picnic areas and camping sites at Glacier Rim, Great Northern Flats and Big Creek. Rafting, kayaking and canoeing access sites could be improved, with additional sites at the Camas Bridge and Blankenship Bridge

In winter, cross-country ski areas could be groomed at the Great Northern Flats area. Popular snow cat areas can be enhanced with better off/on loading areas.

A biking and walking trail from Columbia Falls all the way to the Camas entrance would create a circuitous route through the Park and along U.S. 2, with its wide shoulders.

The proposed arch could be built to signify the accomplishment of paving U.S. 486, or it could symbolize a bright future that includes paving sometime in the future. Either way, make "Gateway to Glacier" meaningful and not just an empty promise.

Robert Grimaldi

Polebridge