Lakeside alpine coaster final construction approved

Bret Anne Serbin

The Montana Department of Transportation on Friday approved final construction plans for the Flathead Lake Alpine Coaster in Lakeside. 

The decision comes after months of back-and-forth movement on the project, which has incensed residents of the community on Flathead Lake’s western shore. 

According to MDT, the approach and encroachment permits for this project are still under review, and construction can’t move ahead before those approvals come through. 

The coaster website indicates the attraction will open in spring 2023. 

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-earning cities in Montana using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Cities are ranked by 2019 5-year estimate median household income and all have at least 3,000 households.

Wedel and her husband, Torsten, operate Wilderness Land Holding LLC out of Stevensville. The pair has been endeavoring to bring an alpine coaster to western Montana for years. 

In 2021, the Wedels sought to build their project in Rollins, but they eventually moved north to Lakeside. There, they have encountered opposition from residents and worked continually with MDT to secure the necessary permits to operate.

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