Public Works details funding requests for transportation projects
Martin Kidston
(Missoula Current) While Public Works and Mobility sharpens its budget for the new fiscal year, it's also eyeing more than $24 million in transportation funding for a number of projects either under construction or planned.
The department – one of the city's largest – operates on an annual budget of roughly $71 million. For the new fiscal year, it's seeking a number of enhancements ranging from engineering to stormwater. But it's also pushing forward on a range of transportation projects funded by grants, gas taxes, tax increment and impact fees, among other sources.
Public Works made its budget pitch to City Council this week.
“Federal grants are nearly half of our overall new requests for this year,” said transportation planner Aron Wilson said. “We have a number of different funds that go into these Community Investment Program projects.”
A number of projects are already under construction including Phase 2 of Eaton Street, the Flynn Lane path project, and additional improvements to Ivy-Franklin. A number of sidewalk projects also are taking place, Wilson said.
The department is also planning for several upcoming projects that have already received funding including England Boulevard near West End Homes, Mary Jane Boulevard and the downtown Safety, Access and Mobility project.
“These are all previously approved projects that we're seeing under construction or moving forward,” said Wilson.
But future projects are still seeking funding in the FY27 budget. Wilson said the work would pull from a number of potential funding sources to cover the cost.
Among them, the department is seeking $3.5 million to improve River Road and $2 million for California Street. Plans for the intersection of Broadway, Toole and California streets total around $4.1 million.
Of that, Wilson said around $2.9 million would come from federal funding, $420,000 from the Missoula Redevelopment Agency and $800,000 in funding already approved.
“This project is going to improve access and safety,” said Wilson. “Whether this ends up being a roundabout or a new signal, we're hoping to improve all those different movements. We've done the intersection control evaluation to look at the different options in terms of an enhanced signal versus a roundabout.”
The city also has approved $2 million for South Avenue – a project that carries a $12.5 million price tag. The department is seeking an additional $10 million from at least four funding sources including the trails bond, impact fees and a Safe Streets 4 All grant.
Public Works is also planning improvements to Lower Miller Creek Road. Around $580,000 has already been approved for the work, though the department is seeking around $5.1 million in FY27.
The work would reconstruct Lower Miller Creek Road and improve connectivity for the surrounding neighborhood. Other transportation improvements in the growing area are being explored.
“One of the things we did do in the last six months is complete an impact fee study,” said Jeremy Keene, director of Public Works. “You'll be seeing that later in this budget process in terms of our city-wide impact fee, but also they did a study of the Miller Creek area to help us understand how a special impact fee district would work there.”
Wilson said plans for improvements at Grant Creek and Expo Parkway are also requested in FY27. The $2.8 million project would include complete streets and a roundabout at the intersection.
“This is a really important improvement at that intersection to accommodate all the new growth and development traffic that's generating and making sure it's safe,” said Wilson. “This roundabout will smooth traffic out there, allow for the traffic to that development area to come in and out and operate more efficiently and safely as we see that growth impact Grant Creek Road.”