MISSOULA — Projects planned with a $13 million federal grant will move to final design this winter under a contract approved this week by Missoula County.
The $1.5 million agreement will pay DJ&A to complete the design elements in the Mullan area funded by a federal BUILD grant received last year, including the north and south connections for Mary Jane Boulevard, the southern leg of George Elmar Drive, England Boulevard and a portion of Flynn Trail.
“Those are the five elements we’ve discussed in the past,” said Shane Stack, the county’s director of Public Works. “They’ve completed 30% design on the entire BUILD project. Those five elements are going to go from 30% design to 100% design hopefully by early to late December.”
Stack said the $1.5 million contract is slightly over what was initially anticipated. But no money from the federal grant is going to preliminary engineering, he added. The county has committed $800,000 to the work and the city will cover the rest.
“We’re going to utilize both city and county funds, local dollars,” he said. “There’s no BUILD money in the professional engineering portion of this project. That will make it easier in the long run for us.”
Missoula County initially requested $23 million in the BUILD grant but was awarded $13 million. It has submitted a new application hoping to net the remaining $10 million.
The outcome of that application is expected soon.
City and county planners also are working on the parallel Mullan Area Master Plan, a document that will help shape future growth and development in the area.
