Downtown Missoula’s big street redesign won’t break ground this year. The city now says construction will likely begin in spring 2027.

In an Oct. 21 project update, the city said several federal approvals are still under review, which is why construction hasn’t started.

The project team is also finalizing the construction phasing plan and costs, and the city says it will share phasing details once they’re set.

What you may see soon

Exploratory “pre-construction” work may show up in the project area within the next few weeks.

The city says that work is needed to better understand subsurface conditions and that more information will be posted on its website.

What the project would change

The Downtown Safety, Access and Mobility (SAM) project covers Higgins Avenue, Front Street, Main Street, the riverfront trail and downtown traffic signals, according to the city. Its story map shows the plans.

• Front and Main streets would switch from one-way to two-way traffic.
• Higgins Avenue would go from four travel lanes to two, plus a left-turn lane and bike lanes on each side, as Montana Public Radio reported.
• MTPR also reported that the city is seeking ramp access to the Beartracks Bridge and wider trails along the Clark Fork River.

How it’s funded

Most of the roughly $25 million cost comes from a federal grant of about $24 million, with local taxpayers contributing a little more than $1 million, per Montana Public Radio. NBC Montana identified the grant as a federal RAISE grant.

City Council voted in December 2025 to move ahead with final plans. Some council members opposed it over cost, stormwater and parking concerns, MTPR reported.

The long view

When the city presented the project at an open house in October 2025, finishing work was expected to wrap up by 2031, NBC Montana reported.

For downtown businesses and commuters, the takeaway: main construction isn’t expected before spring 2027, exploratory work may appear sooner, and the city’s construction phasing plan is still to come.

Graphic: Zootown Lowdown

Sources

• City of Missoula, “Downtown SAM Project Update: October 2026,” Oct. 21, 2026: ci.missoula.mt.us
• City of Missoula, Downtown SAM story map: storymaps.arcgis.com
• Montana Public Radio, Dec. 30, 2025: mtpr.org
• NBC Montana, Oct. 8, 2025: nbcmontana.com