MISSOULA - Heads up for anyone recreating in the Rattlesnake, crews are constructing a new parking area at the Duncan Drive trailhead.
The project aims to establish 16 specific parking spots near the cul-de-sac, while improving safety within the city right-of-way, and better access to the trail system.
"There's been some incidents where delivery vehicles and fire trucks have had to back out of there and so we wanted to accommodate the really popular trailhead while still allowing for emergency access and deliveries because there are residences off of that cul-de-sac as well," Missoula Parks and Recreation project manager Lucy Rummler told MTN.
No parking will be permitted during the construction process, which is expected to last until mid-October.
The trail will remain open during construction, but users are encouraged to get to the trailhead on foot or by bike or to use alternate connecting trailheads, such as Lincolnwood or the Rattlesnake main trailhead.
Missoula Parks and Recreation was awarded a $100,000 grant from Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to cover the majority of the construction costs.
"It's called a recreational trails program grant. That funds the vast majority of the construction cost and then for design services, part of that was done in-house and then part of it was done by using funds from the open space bond," Rummler detailed.
The next project in this area is planned for next year. The City of Missoula is looking to build a new mile of accessible trail.
"The grades are already fairly gentle compared to a lot of other areas, so it's a good opportunity to get more of a family-friendly, as close to universal access standards as we can trail," Rummler explained.
