MISSOULA - Downtown Missoula could be seeing some major changes in the coming years as the city is working to execute its plan of redesigning downtown to be more accessible.
The Downtown Safety, Access and Mobility Project (SAM) is set to return much of the heart of downtown to how it was years ago, largely thanks to a $24 million federal grant.
This includes making Front and Main Street a two-way once again, converting Higgins down to three lanes from Broadway to Brooks, widening riverfront trails and installing a ramp from Beartracks Bridge down to the riverfront trail.
The project will also improve the gateway connections to the riverfront trail from Ryman Street, Pattee Street, and Kiwanis Park. For the city, the project is largely meant to keep downtown a place for everyone.
“It's in the name to make the downtown area more safe, more accessible, and more mobile for all users, whether that's bike riders, or pedestrians, or cyclists, or wheelchair users. Improving this downtown area is so key right now. We've had a lot of private investment that has improved some of our intersections. But we have yet to keep up with that infrastructure in the downtown area to make it a more vibrant and welcoming place for all users,” said SAM senior project manager Megan McMeekin.
The city will be holding an open house at the Missoula Public Library from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday for people interested in learning more about the project.
