Downtown Safety–Access–Mobility Project

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The Downtown SAM project aims to improve Safety, Access and Mobility in Downtown Missoula.

Safety: Improving safety means reducing the risk for crashes and increasing the level of comfort for people traveling Downtown. This includes things like slowing traffic, adding turn lanes, reducing multi-lane crossings, improving lighting, and providing separate spaces for different users (i.e. vehicle lanes, bikeways, and sidewalks).

Access: Access refers to the ease with which people can reach desired goods, services, activities, and destinations. The goal of improving access is to minimize the effort or distance required to reach important destinations, often focusing on enhancing quality of life and connectivity. Improving access means considering things like parking, ADA accessible routes, transit stops, loading zones, deliveries, emergency services, and new traffic signals (i.e. Front/Madison).

Mobility: Mobility refers to the ease and efficiency with which people or goods can move between locations. The goal of improving mobility is to improve circulation and increase the ability for all modes to travel Downtown. Improving mobility includes things like signal timing and coordination, conversion of one-way streets, turn lanes, and separated facilities for different modes.

Focusing on Safety, Access, and Mobility supports economic health and investment by making Downtown a more inviting place and reinvesting in the infrastructure that helps Downtown Missoula be signature destination.


Goals of the Downtown SAM Project Include:

  • create safer streets for all modes of transportation;
  • improve access and circulation for Downtown businesses, workers, residents, and visitors;
  • establish an inviting streetscape that showcases Downtown Missoula as a destination; and
  • support economic health and investment in Downtown.

Project Elements:

A) Higgins Ave Multi-Modal Improvements

  • 4-to-3 lane conversion
  • Improved bicycle facilities
  • ADA access
  • Bus stops and other street amenities
  • Improvements to be installed from Brooks to Broadway (linear distance of 3,500 LF)

B) Front/Main Two-Way Restoration

  • Restoration of both Front Street and Main Street from one-way to two-way traffic
  • Improvements include:
    • Restriping, parking lane modifications, bicycle facilities, intersection improvements, a new signal at the intersection of Front Street/Madison, reconfiguration of the intersection at Front/Main/Orange.

C) Riverfront Trail Connections

  • Widening of the Ron's River Trail (~2,400 ft of path)
  • Gateway reconstruction of Ryman Street from Front Street to Carousel Drive (200 ft of roadway reconstruction)
  • Enhanced trail access at Pattee Street
  • Reconstruction of trail access between Front Street and Ron's River Trail at Kiwanis Park (~300-400 ft of trail)
  • Construction of an ADA accessible ramp from the east side pedestrian path of Beartracks Bridge to Ron's River Trail/Caras Park

D) Signal Optimization

  • Upgrade signal detection, controllers, and other hardware as needed at ~8 signals
  • Conduct signal timing analysis and implement automated signal performance measures across ~ 22 downtown signals

Read more about the Grant Requirements.

What’s Happening Now?

The current phase includes design and development up to a 30% level.

In early March, Downtown Missoula property owners received letters about upcoming survey work on specific city streets as part of the Downtown Safety, Access, and Mobility Project (Downtown SAM). The City of Missoula has contracted DJ&A to conduct the survey work and help design the project. Crews will collect data on property lines, street and sidewalk dimensions, elevations, utilities (both underground and overhead), and locations of trees, light poles, and signposts throughout the project area.

City staff and the project team are conducting outreach in the project area to notify business owners of ongoing surveying efforts and answer questions about the project.

  • April 25, 2025: Working Group Meeting

What’s Next

  1. Read Working Group Meeting Summaries and Presentation documents in the Documents folder.
  2. Stay informed by subscribing to the newsletter. Drop your email address in the 'Stay Informed' box.
  3. Get your questions answered. Reach out to the Project Manager Megan McMeekin at 406-531-1619 or via email at mcmeekinm@ci.missoula.mt.us.

The Downtown SAM project aims to improve Safety, Access and Mobility in Downtown Missoula.

Safety: Improving safety means reducing the risk for crashes and increasing the level of comfort for people traveling Downtown. This includes things like slowing traffic, adding turn lanes, reducing multi-lane crossings, improving lighting, and providing separate spaces for different users (i.e. vehicle lanes, bikeways, and sidewalks).

Access: Access refers to the ease with which people can reach desired goods, services, activities, and destinations. The goal of improving access is to minimize the effort or distance required to reach important destinations, often focusing on enhancing quality of life and connectivity. Improving access means considering things like parking, ADA accessible routes, transit stops, loading zones, deliveries, emergency services, and new traffic signals (i.e. Front/Madison).

Mobility: Mobility refers to the ease and efficiency with which people or goods can move between locations. The goal of improving mobility is to improve circulation and increase the ability for all modes to travel Downtown. Improving mobility includes things like signal timing and coordination, conversion of one-way streets, turn lanes, and separated facilities for different modes.

Focusing on Safety, Access, and Mobility supports economic health and investment by making Downtown a more inviting place and reinvesting in the infrastructure that helps Downtown Missoula be signature destination.


Goals of the Downtown SAM Project Include:

  • create safer streets for all modes of transportation;
  • improve access and circulation for Downtown businesses, workers, residents, and visitors;
  • establish an inviting streetscape that showcases Downtown Missoula as a destination; and
  • support economic health and investment in Downtown.

Project Elements:

A) Higgins Ave Multi-Modal Improvements

  • 4-to-3 lane conversion
  • Improved bicycle facilities
  • ADA access
  • Bus stops and other street amenities
  • Improvements to be installed from Brooks to Broadway (linear distance of 3,500 LF)

B) Front/Main Two-Way Restoration

  • Restoration of both Front Street and Main Street from one-way to two-way traffic
  • Improvements include:
    • Restriping, parking lane modifications, bicycle facilities, intersection improvements, a new signal at the intersection of Front Street/Madison, reconfiguration of the intersection at Front/Main/Orange.

C) Riverfront Trail Connections

  • Widening of the Ron's River Trail (~2,400 ft of path)
  • Gateway reconstruction of Ryman Street from Front Street to Carousel Drive (200 ft of roadway reconstruction)
  • Enhanced trail access at Pattee Street
  • Reconstruction of trail access between Front Street and Ron's River Trail at Kiwanis Park (~300-400 ft of trail)
  • Construction of an ADA accessible ramp from the east side pedestrian path of Beartracks Bridge to Ron's River Trail/Caras Park

D) Signal Optimization

  • Upgrade signal detection, controllers, and other hardware as needed at ~8 signals
  • Conduct signal timing analysis and implement automated signal performance measures across ~ 22 downtown signals

Read more about the Grant Requirements.

What’s Happening Now?

The current phase includes design and development up to a 30% level.

In early March, Downtown Missoula property owners received letters about upcoming survey work on specific city streets as part of the Downtown Safety, Access, and Mobility Project (Downtown SAM). The City of Missoula has contracted DJ&A to conduct the survey work and help design the project. Crews will collect data on property lines, street and sidewalk dimensions, elevations, utilities (both underground and overhead), and locations of trees, light poles, and signposts throughout the project area.

City staff and the project team are conducting outreach in the project area to notify business owners of ongoing surveying efforts and answer questions about the project.

  • April 25, 2025: Working Group Meeting

What’s Next

  1. Read Working Group Meeting Summaries and Presentation documents in the Documents folder.
  2. Stay informed by subscribing to the newsletter. Drop your email address in the 'Stay Informed' box.
  3. Get your questions answered. Reach out to the Project Manager Megan McMeekin at 406-531-1619 or via email at mcmeekinm@ci.missoula.mt.us.

What questions or comments do you have about Downtown SAM?

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  • Share Will TIF be used to accompany this grant? on Facebook Share Will TIF be used to accompany this grant? on Twitter Share Will TIF be used to accompany this grant? on Linkedin Email Will TIF be used to accompany this grant? link

    Will TIF be used to accompany this grant?

    Sandau asked 6 months ago

    Thank you for the question, Sandau! Yes, $1M in TIF funds will be used as the local match needed for the $25M Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant the City received in June 2023.

  • Share Hopefully the community will be well informed and able to weigh in (not just from older folks who have the time to pay attention to these things). on Facebook Share Hopefully the community will be well informed and able to weigh in (not just from older folks who have the time to pay attention to these things). on Twitter Share Hopefully the community will be well informed and able to weigh in (not just from older folks who have the time to pay attention to these things). on Linkedin Email Hopefully the community will be well informed and able to weigh in (not just from older folks who have the time to pay attention to these things). link

    Hopefully the community will be well informed and able to weigh in (not just from older folks who have the time to pay attention to these things).

    Maybe Missoula asked 12 months ago

    Good morning! Thank you for your comment. We have a resident working group of all ages and background who are meeting regularly with the City staff to bridge the gap between the community and this Downtown SAM project. Each working group member is tasked with getting feedback from their peers and fellow community members that they regularly interact with. Also, the staff are continuing to meet one-on-one with business and property owners in downtown who have concerns/ideas for this project/

    In addition, we will continue to have public meetings where everyone is welcome to give feedback on this project, both before and during construction. The next larger public meeting will likely take place this fall/winter when there are updates about this project. Currently, the staff are convening the working group, and will be soon hiring a project manager and engineering firm to move the project forward. This process will likely take several months.

    We will continue to pass on comments/questions put in this comment area to the working group and project leadership team. Thank you so much for staying involved!

    Maci MacPherson, communications specialist.

  • Share The memo to the mayor mentions 'non motorized mobility.' That type of language is often demeaning and should not be used. Can you please use more inclusive language? on Facebook Share The memo to the mayor mentions 'non motorized mobility.' That type of language is often demeaning and should not be used. Can you please use more inclusive language? on Twitter Share The memo to the mayor mentions 'non motorized mobility.' That type of language is often demeaning and should not be used. Can you please use more inclusive language? on Linkedin Email The memo to the mayor mentions 'non motorized mobility.' That type of language is often demeaning and should not be used. Can you please use more inclusive language? link

    The memo to the mayor mentions 'non motorized mobility.' That type of language is often demeaning and should not be used. Can you please use more inclusive language?

    Bob Giordano asked about 1 year ago

    Thank you so much for your comment! It has been shared with the project leadership team, and will be shared with the working group at their first meeting.

  • Share As a downtown Missoula bike commuter, I'm really grateful we've received this grant and I'm so excited to see what you do with it to improve safety and mobility through the higgins/downtown corridor! My dream would be to someday see a downtown where young kids could safely bike from school to the library without potentially getting plowed over by a distracted driver. This is a huge opportunity for our city and I'm really glad we've got caring, bright, passionate people at the center of this project. Good luck and don't let the haters get you down! on Facebook Share As a downtown Missoula bike commuter, I'm really grateful we've received this grant and I'm so excited to see what you do with it to improve safety and mobility through the higgins/downtown corridor! My dream would be to someday see a downtown where young kids could safely bike from school to the library without potentially getting plowed over by a distracted driver. This is a huge opportunity for our city and I'm really glad we've got caring, bright, passionate people at the center of this project. Good luck and don't let the haters get you down! on Twitter Share As a downtown Missoula bike commuter, I'm really grateful we've received this grant and I'm so excited to see what you do with it to improve safety and mobility through the higgins/downtown corridor! My dream would be to someday see a downtown where young kids could safely bike from school to the library without potentially getting plowed over by a distracted driver. This is a huge opportunity for our city and I'm really glad we've got caring, bright, passionate people at the center of this project. Good luck and don't let the haters get you down! on Linkedin Email As a downtown Missoula bike commuter, I'm really grateful we've received this grant and I'm so excited to see what you do with it to improve safety and mobility through the higgins/downtown corridor! My dream would be to someday see a downtown where young kids could safely bike from school to the library without potentially getting plowed over by a distracted driver. This is a huge opportunity for our city and I'm really glad we've got caring, bright, passionate people at the center of this project. Good luck and don't let the haters get you down! link

    As a downtown Missoula bike commuter, I'm really grateful we've received this grant and I'm so excited to see what you do with it to improve safety and mobility through the higgins/downtown corridor! My dream would be to someday see a downtown where young kids could safely bike from school to the library without potentially getting plowed over by a distracted driver. This is a huge opportunity for our city and I'm really glad we've got caring, bright, passionate people at the center of this project. Good luck and don't let the haters get you down!

    Alison Riley asked about 1 year ago

    Thank you so much for your comment! It has been shared with the project leadership team, and will be shared with the working group at their first meeting.

  • Share Is this money coming from the Biden infrastructure bill, and if so, did the senators and representatives from Montana vote for it to pass? on Facebook Share Is this money coming from the Biden infrastructure bill, and if so, did the senators and representatives from Montana vote for it to pass? on Twitter Share Is this money coming from the Biden infrastructure bill, and if so, did the senators and representatives from Montana vote for it to pass? on Linkedin Email Is this money coming from the Biden infrastructure bill, and if so, did the senators and representatives from Montana vote for it to pass? link

    Is this money coming from the Biden infrastructure bill, and if so, did the senators and representatives from Montana vote for it to pass?

    Rachel H. asked over 1 year ago

    Hello Rachel,

    Thank you for your question. Senator Tester voted for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and Senator Daines did not. Representative Zinke was not in office when the vote took place in the House.

    The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant that will fund the Downtown SAM project is a bit of a mix though, since it originated as TIGER in the American Recover & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in 2009. It has gone through several iterations, including BUILD and RAISE. Senator Tester was in office and would have voted for ARRA, however Senator Daines was not in office at the time. 

    I hope that answers your questions! - Maci MacPherson

Page last updated: 22 Apr 2025, 08:22 AM