Staff member (Staff member) said the project combines four subprojects into one: Higgins Avenue multimodal improvements, a Front Main two-way conversion, Riverfront Trail widening and connections, and a downtown signal optimization phase.

The project team is packaging the work into a single grant application to meet Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) grant criteria, the staff member said. "The Riverfront Trail and connections project will widen the Riverfront Trail, and improve the gateway connections at Ryman Street, Patty Street, and at Kiwanis," the staff member said.

Why it matters: the package aims to improve safety and connectivity for people driving, walking, biking and taking transit through downtown Missoula by changing lane configurations on Higgins Avenue and Front Main, widening a key trail, and adjusting signal timing.

Details and scope: the Higgins Avenue work would convert the current four-lane configuration to three lanes between Brooks and Bridal, the staff member said, and Front Main would be converted from one-way streets back to a historic two-way configuration with added bicycle facilities and street amenities. The staff member described the signal optimization phase as a retiming of approximately 23 signals within the downtown area to tie the corridor changes together.

The presentation noted the design is at about 30% and serves as a framework for further detail. The team added the Riverfront Trail connections and a project identified in the transcript as the "Havens project" to the grant package. The staff member said the project is not building a new bridge nor making significant impacts to the river, which they said should streamline the environmental review.

Constraints and approvals: staff emphasized the need for approvals from the Montana Department of Transportation for changes that affect state routes and signals (for example, a new signal at Madison and Front). The staff member said the city, state and the Metropolitan Planning Organization have a history of coordinating on these projects.

Schedule and next steps: the team hopes to begin construction as early as 2026, with 2027 possible depending on permitting and phasing decisions; staff said construction could take a couple of years, and phasing remains to be determined.

No formal vote or final decision was recorded in the transcript excerpts provided; the discussion described design status, grant packaging and required state approvals as next steps.