The City’s Street Maintenance Division will close one side only of the Orange Street Underpass sidewalk for repairs beginning Wednesday.
According to a press release, the closure is in response to the emergency closure of the Northside Pedestrian Bridge. City Street Maintenance crews will be replacing broken, deteriorated sidewalk portions in the Orange Street underpass beginning Wednesday.
The project, which is expected to be completed by October 27, will make the underpass safer and more accessible for pedestrians and cyclists.
One side of the underpass sidewalk will remain open during construction.
Sidewalks on the west side of the underpass, from N. 2nd Street W. through the underpass, will be closed from October 13 to approximately October 24.
The east side underpass sidewalk will remain open and available to pedestrians and bicyclists. Vehicle lanes will remain open except when crews pour new concrete for the sidewalk on October 18 and 19.
On those dates, southbound vehicle traffic will be detoured down N. 5th Street W. from approximately 10 a.m. to noon.
The city suggests drivers use an alternate route during these times if possible. When the west sidewalk reopens around October 24, the east sidewalk will be closed for minor repairs, with work expected to be completed on Thursday, October 27.
Since the Orange Street underpass is a critical detour route for pedestrians and bicyclists who used the Northside Pedestrian Bridge before its closure, City crews began looking at the area's sidewalk conditions and the infrastructure's ability to accommodate the additional traffic.
The City worked with the Montana Department of Transportation to devise a plan to make the repairs right away.
Sidewalk closure maps and a street traffic detour map are available on the City's website at http://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/2839/Right-of-Way-Infrastructure-Projects.
