WEST GLACIER – Plans are moving forward for the West Glacier RV & Cabin Village.
Glacier Park, Incorporated (GPI) received final approval on Monday to build the West Glacier RV & Cabin Village after the Montana Department of Environmental Quality approved a final Environmental Assessment for water and wastewater facilities.
The park is located through the west entrance of Glacier National Park off River Bend Road right before the West Glacier Motel that intersects Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road.
GPI marketing manager Rebecca Baker told MTN News the 102-space RV park will be near the back of the property away from the road with 25 rental cabins closer to the road.
Following a review of a traffic study conducted by GPI, the Flathead County Commission approved the RV park in May of last year.
The study found that the additional traffic from an RV park wouldn’t cause a significant increase in the traffic that we already see at the intersection of Going-to-the-Sun Road and River Bend Road
But neighbors who live along the road disagreed and said the study was done on the wrong road and during the down season.
Flathead County commissioners unanimously voted to grant approval to GPI to build the 102-space RV park and Cabin Village off River Bend Drive in West Glacier in May of 2017.
"We have to think about what’s best for Flathead County, what’s best for people coming into the park, our tourist industry," said Flathead County Commissioner Phil Mitchell. "Which we are — a tourist industry. Flathead County is tourists."
Following the vote, many West Glacier neighbors still expressed concerns, especially over traffic.
To help deal with road congestion, one of the conditions of approval added by Flathead County Commissioners requires Glacier Park Incorporated to construct a paved path from the RV Park to the town center at West Glacier.
GPI spokesperson Rebecca Baker told MTN News they look forward to working with the West Glacier community to make the project go the best it can.
RELATED: West Glacier residents uneasy with proposed RV Park
