Higgins Ave Multi-Modal Improvements

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What are we doing?

Higgins Avenue from Brooks Street to Broadway Street will be reconfigured from four lanes to three, allowing dedicated left-turn lanes, protected bike lanes, intersection improvements, enhanced transit stops, improved sidewalks, and ADA upgrades.

When are we doing it?

Current stage: DESIGN

  • currently at a 60% level of detail.
  • expecting to reach 100% design in Summer 2026.

Next Stage: CONSTRUCTION

  • Start of construction: TBD, potentially Spring 2027

Why are we doing it?

Higgins Avenue is the backbone of downtown Missoula. The community helped shape the Downtown Master Plan in 2009 and the updates in 2019. Through this work, the plan identified a need to change Higgins into a complete, multimodal and safe street. This change would help everyone access downtown safely while also boosting activity along the whole Higgins corridor.

How will this change enhance Downtown Missoula?

SAFETY: reducing the risk of crashes and increasing the level of comfort for all users traveling to and within downtown.

  • Vehicles turning into driveways, alleys, or side streets have a safe area in the dedicated turn lane that is separated from through traffic to slow down and make a turn. This helps lower the risk of rear-end and high-speed collisions. 
  • Separating the bike facility away from the vehicle travel lanes significantly reduces serious and fatal crashes between cyclists and vehicles on high-volume streets such as Higgins Avenue.
  • Curb extensions, or “bulb-outs” at key intersections will shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians.
  • Traffic signal improvements like “Leading Pedestrian Intervals” give people a few seconds to start crossing the street before cars get a green light. This helps drivers see people in the crosswalk sooner. It lowers the chance of crashes between cars and pedestrians.

ACCESS: The ease with which people can reach desired goods, services, activities, and destinations using a variety of transportation modes

  • Accessibility will be improved by implementing more ways in which people can reach their destination. This means implementing dedicated bike facilities,

  • Installing curb ramps at crosswalks significantly improves accessibility for individuals with mobility impairments, such as wheelchair users, by providing a seamless and safe transition between sidewalks and roadways.

  • New Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) will replace the standard pedestrian push buttons at certain intersections. These APS will add non-visual communication tools for users such as audible tones, speech messages, and vibrating surfaces to inform pedestrians when to cross.

MOBILITY: The ease, efficiency, and capability of moving people between destinations.

  • Higgins Ave, Alder St to Brooks St will have a continuous, separated bike facility – whereas current conditions only exist from Alder St to the south end of Beartracks Bridge.

  • Implementing the center turn lane will eliminate the current restricted left turning movements for vehicles and allow them a safe area for slowing while allowing through-traffic to continue flowing.

  • The upgraded traffic signals through Higgins will be coordinated and timed appropriately.

  • By implementing dedicated bike facilities through the hip strip, cycling activity on the sidewalk should be reduced.

Click here to return to the full Downtown SAM project.

What are we doing?

Higgins Avenue from Brooks Street to Broadway Street will be reconfigured from four lanes to three, allowing dedicated left-turn lanes, protected bike lanes, intersection improvements, enhanced transit stops, improved sidewalks, and ADA upgrades.

When are we doing it?

Current stage: DESIGN

  • currently at a 60% level of detail.
  • expecting to reach 100% design in Summer 2026.

Next Stage: CONSTRUCTION

  • Start of construction: TBD, potentially Spring 2027

Why are we doing it?

Higgins Avenue is the backbone of downtown Missoula. The community helped shape the Downtown Master Plan in 2009 and the updates in 2019. Through this work, the plan identified a need to change Higgins into a complete, multimodal and safe street. This change would help everyone access downtown safely while also boosting activity along the whole Higgins corridor.

How will this change enhance Downtown Missoula?

SAFETY: reducing the risk of crashes and increasing the level of comfort for all users traveling to and within downtown.

  • Vehicles turning into driveways, alleys, or side streets have a safe area in the dedicated turn lane that is separated from through traffic to slow down and make a turn. This helps lower the risk of rear-end and high-speed collisions. 
  • Separating the bike facility away from the vehicle travel lanes significantly reduces serious and fatal crashes between cyclists and vehicles on high-volume streets such as Higgins Avenue.
  • Curb extensions, or “bulb-outs” at key intersections will shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians.
  • Traffic signal improvements like “Leading Pedestrian Intervals” give people a few seconds to start crossing the street before cars get a green light. This helps drivers see people in the crosswalk sooner. It lowers the chance of crashes between cars and pedestrians.

ACCESS: The ease with which people can reach desired goods, services, activities, and destinations using a variety of transportation modes

  • Accessibility will be improved by implementing more ways in which people can reach their destination. This means implementing dedicated bike facilities,

  • Installing curb ramps at crosswalks significantly improves accessibility for individuals with mobility impairments, such as wheelchair users, by providing a seamless and safe transition between sidewalks and roadways.

  • New Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) will replace the standard pedestrian push buttons at certain intersections. These APS will add non-visual communication tools for users such as audible tones, speech messages, and vibrating surfaces to inform pedestrians when to cross.

MOBILITY: The ease, efficiency, and capability of moving people between destinations.

  • Higgins Ave, Alder St to Brooks St will have a continuous, separated bike facility – whereas current conditions only exist from Alder St to the south end of Beartracks Bridge.

  • Implementing the center turn lane will eliminate the current restricted left turning movements for vehicles and allow them a safe area for slowing while allowing through-traffic to continue flowing.

  • The upgraded traffic signals through Higgins will be coordinated and timed appropriately.

  • By implementing dedicated bike facilities through the hip strip, cycling activity on the sidewalk should be reduced.

Click here to return to the full Downtown SAM project.

Have a question about the Higgins Ave Multi-Modal Improvements? Ask here.

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  • Share Can updated information be updated on the website regarding the SAM Project, specifically the Higgins portion. The current information refers to Summer of 2026 in the future tense. Have there been changes to the proposed Start of construction in Spring 2027? Have there been updated plans on how parking, lane closures, and impacts to businesses will be handled? Thank you! on Facebook Share Can updated information be updated on the website regarding the SAM Project, specifically the Higgins portion. The current information refers to Summer of 2026 in the future tense. Have there been changes to the proposed Start of construction in Spring 2027? Have there been updated plans on how parking, lane closures, and impacts to businesses will be handled? Thank you! on Twitter Share Can updated information be updated on the website regarding the SAM Project, specifically the Higgins portion. The current information refers to Summer of 2026 in the future tense. Have there been changes to the proposed Start of construction in Spring 2027? Have there been updated plans on how parking, lane closures, and impacts to businesses will be handled? Thank you! on Linkedin Email Can updated information be updated on the website regarding the SAM Project, specifically the Higgins portion. The current information refers to Summer of 2026 in the future tense. Have there been changes to the proposed Start of construction in Spring 2027? Have there been updated plans on how parking, lane closures, and impacts to businesses will be handled? Thank you! link

    Can updated information be updated on the website regarding the SAM Project, specifically the Higgins portion. The current information refers to Summer of 2026 in the future tense. Have there been changes to the proposed Start of construction in Spring 2027? Have there been updated plans on how parking, lane closures, and impacts to businesses will be handled? Thank you!

    Rich A asked about 1 month ago

    Thanks for your question. 

    The information on the SAM project is up to date.  Construction on the Higgins project is anticipated to start in Spring 2027 and last through Fall 2027.  The construction phase detours have not yet been finalized.  Once completed they will be shared to better prepare businesses for what to expect during construction. 

    We hope you'll attend the Downtown SAM Open house next Tuesday, April 28 at the Florence Building from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Members of our design team will be available to answer any other questions you may have. 

    Sincerely,

    The Project Team

  • Share What will biking infrastructure look like on the Beartracks Bridge under the new plan? on Facebook Share What will biking infrastructure look like on the Beartracks Bridge under the new plan? on Twitter Share What will biking infrastructure look like on the Beartracks Bridge under the new plan? on Linkedin Email What will biking infrastructure look like on the Beartracks Bridge under the new plan? link

    What will biking infrastructure look like on the Beartracks Bridge under the new plan?

    srcwood asked 6 months ago

    Hi,

    Thanks for your question. 

    The 30% plans for the Higgins Avenue project element improve the bike facilities by adding dedicated bike lanes from Brooks to Broadway.  The section over the Beartracks Bridge transitions the northbound and southbound bike lanes within the roadway section (between the curbs) and off of the shared use path (current configuration).  No alterations to the shared use path will be made.  The bike facility across the bridge is planned to be five-foot-wide lane in each direction with a painted buffer zone between the bike lane and vehicle travel lane. 

    Please reference this link to see the proposed 30% design plans that detail the roadway sections for the Higgins corridor, where it shows the proposed plans across Beartracks Bridge.

    Regards,

    Downtown SAM Project Team

Page last updated: 17 Apr 2026, 01:52 PM