Missoula News

Roadways and Infrastructure

Revamp of Russell and Third Streets: Distant and Costly

By Emily Darrell, 10-19-07

The planning to revamp Russell and South Third West began seven years ago, but actual work on the two major roadways still remains years away, said Missoula Public Works director Steve King.

King and Jennifer James of the Helena office of HKM Engineering spoke about the project with the City Club Missoula at the Doubletree Hotel on Friday. HKM is the firm working with the city to finish the environmental impact statement. The two gave an overview of what the reconstruction project will likely entail - up to 20 years and at least $44 million.

“(This is) one of the most significant public works projects in Missoula in our lifetime,” King said. “(Russell Street) is the core of our city. It’s the heart of Missoula.”

The two streets cross at what has become the geographic center of town, yet both are woefully inadequate. Neither has continuous sidewalks or curbs. Traffic jams are a regular occurrence at rush hour, especially on Russell.

The plan would turn Russell into a four-lane road with a center turn lane. South Third and South Fifth would get multi-lane roundabouts.  Traffic lights would remain at the intersections of Russell with Mount and Broadway and one would be added at Wyoming. Third would get a turn lane and single-lane roundabouts at Curtis, Johnson and Catlin.

King said the reconfiguration would move traffic quickly and safely. Both King and James emphasized they do not want to see Russell turn into another Reserve Street. King said he views Stephens Avenue as a more acceptable model for how Russell should look.

After the presentation, members of the audience asked questions: why has the project progressed so slowly and where will the money come from to make it happen.

Missoula Chief Administrative Officer Bruce Bender, who was in attendance, expressed frustration that the project has taken so long. The first company to prepare the EIS, which is required to get federal highway funds, spent years and millions of dollars without completing the document. The EIS has remained on schedule since HKM has been working on it.

As for the funding, Missoula gets about $1.5 million a year for urban transportation needs from the federal government, King said. Other federal money sometimes comes available, too, he added.

However, funding from the Federal Highway Administration can’t be relied on; federal allocations aren’t keeping pace with rising costs, King said.

Bender said he believes the city should raise its own money for the project.

Bender would like to see a local gas tax of two cents a gallon, a measure permitted by state law but which Missoula has not implemented. Bender said the tax would generate about $2 million a year.

According to the schedule on the fliers handed out to the audience, the first public hearing on the plan will be held in October, 2008, and construction will begin in 2011 or 2012.

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