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Higgins Avenue bridge slated for February revamp

Started by Billy F 1988, November 12, 2019, 06:25:57 PM

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Billy F 1988

https://www.mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/higginsbridge/ <- this is the official press release from the Montana Department of Transportation's web site.

My brief synopsis of this report is as follows. So, the Russell Street bridge is near completion, and a three-phase traffic light has been added at Wyoming and Russell Street. In the near future, I will photograph that to be featured in the Missoula page of the AARoads guide pages, and a lot of my photos on that site are from 2013 and they need serious updating soooooo, look for those soon. Meanwhile, the idea behind revamping the Higgins Avenue bridge is a wider deck, wider pedestrian/bike deck, better access to the bridge from Caras Park, but that consequently means a nearly endless amount of days and nights of full on gridlock at Broadway and Higgins where most people travel now, and that puts a hamper on the Mountain Line system as route #6 traverses this very structure six days a week, but may need to be diverted away from the construction site to continue transporting passengers to Southgate Mall and back to the Transfer Center.

I highly understand the need to make the structure more federally sound and meet new earthquake standards and so on, but the fact that it's costing $20 million dollars makes it the second most expensive rehabilitation project. The Russell Street project was nearly this amount. So, the timeline I heard on KGVO radio is around 15 months, which takes us to March 2021. I know what you're thinking: BRUH! IT'S GONNA TAKE THAT LONG?!!! Yes. It will. Then again, if things go according to plan, they MAY (emphasis on may) have it by AT THE VERY LEAST December 2020 or January 2021. I doubt that, though.

As a consequence of the Russell Street project, eastbound Broadway motorists can no longer take left turns on Russell Street as before as that is now a thru-lane to Toole Avenue. They may later change it to left turn only, but for now, the far left lane is a thru-lane to Toole Avenue. Very. Frustrating.

Thus, as a consequence of the Higgins Avenue bridge project, you may have to take Madison Street to continue north or south. This bridge is an important connector to the Hip Strip area and with the bridge being redone, that puts a hamper on business in the Hip Strip area. Fourth Street is the last light before the northbound side of the bridge begins and the first after you head across on the southbound side.

I'm willing to bet Madison Street will be the next on the rehab hit list in 2022. Am I off on that prediction? What do you think?  :hmmm: :hmmm: :hmmm:
Finally upgraded to Expressway after, what, seven or so years on this forum? Took a dadgum while, but, I made it!



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