Martin Kidston
(Missoula Current) Calling it a long shot but one worth taking, the City of Missoula this week agreed to apply for a federal grant to finish the transportation network detailed in the Mullan area master plan.
Members of the Missoula City Council approved a request allowing the mayor to attach a letter of support to the application. The project now carries an estimated cost of around $20 million. The city would provide a $2 million match in hopes of increasing its chances of success.
“The opportunity is small, but we’re going to keep pursuing these (grants),” said Aaron Wilson, the city’s transportation manager. “This would essentially complete the infrastructure in that area.”
The city and county together applied for and received a $19 million federal BUILD grant in 2019 to lay the infrastructure needed to accommodate anticipated growth in the Mullan area. But the funding was less than requested, and the project is not yet finished.
If approved, Wilson said funding from the new grant would complete the extension of George Elmer Drive to West Broadway. It would also include trail work alongside plans to realign a stretch of Grant Creek.
“With cost increases and various other things, we’re still working to complete all that,” said Wilson. “This grant would get those pieces done.”
Wilson said the project would be timely given that Mountain Line plans to build its new bus facility off West Broadway. As new housing projects move forward, Wilson said interest is also high in beginning a number of commercial projects in the corridor.
“There are developments in that area that are interested in moving forward,” Wilson said. “This is an area that’s really identified for commercial development like services, grocery stores and jobs. As we see the housing development continue, we really need that connection to the commercial side of it.”
The city and county have been successful in recent years in securing such transportation grants. Plans to improve the Highway 200 corridor in East Missoula landed $24 million in federal funding, as did a separate project slated for the downtown district.
Last week, the city also learned that it will receive $59 million to complete the Russell Street corridor project. That grant will enable the city to direct limited transportation funds elsewhere, Wilson said.
“That opens up other federal funds that we can program locally,” said Wilson. “It’s not just that the Russell Street project gets done, but it allows us to move on to other priority projects much quicker than we would if we didn’t get the grant funding for that.”
Council member Mike Nugent said the Mullan area master plan will direct any work funded in a new grant. The grant application is due this month and the city should learn of its success in June.
“Nothing in this grant is new,” said Nugent. “It’s finishing up stuff we’ve already approved and signed off on.”
