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NEWS ADVISORY August 31, 2009 For immediate release GRAND OPENING SET FOR ROUNDABOUT Come join the celebration on Higgins Avenue Thursday morning The City of Missoula invites the driving, bicycling and walking public to come to the grand opening of the Higgins Avenue roundabout on Thursday, Sept. 3, at 11 a.m. The festivities will begin at the north end of the roundabout, on the downtown side of the intersection of Higgins Avenue, Beckwith Avenue and Hill Street. Missoula Mayor John Engen will introduce brief remarks from a series of speakers who will include Montana Department of Transportation Director Jim former Missoula City Councilman John Torma; City of Missoula Chief Administrative Officer Bruce Bender; representatives of Sen. Jon Tester, Sen. Max Baucus and Rep. Denny Rehberg; Missoula Police Chief Mark Muir; and Mayor Engen. After Mayor Engen cuts the ribbon, a procession of various roundabout users will drive and bike through the roundabout. They will include a Missoula Fire Department fire engine, a Mountain Line bus, a platoon of bicycles, the Western Montana Shrine Club Motor Patrol and more. The public is also invited to drive, bike and walk the area. The businesses at the roundabout are joining the celebration. Great Harvest Bread Co. will bake special roundabout cakes and serve cookies and lemonade under a tent in front of the bakery. Monaco Flowers & Gift Baskets is offering a 10 percent discount on orders over $30. Look for specials at other businesses at the roundabout. The grand opening celebration is the culmination of a years-long effort toward improving the awkward intersection at Higgins, Beckwith and Hill. Federal economic stimulus money (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) of about $600,000 built the roundabout this summer. The construction employed 24 people with a total payroll of $200,000. The Montana Department of Transportation administered the project in coordination with the City of Missoula Department of Public Works. The general contractor is Knife River. ---PAGE BREAK--- For more information and interviews, contact: Ginny Merriam, City of Missoula Public Information/Communications Officer, 552-6007; 546-7692 Gregg Wood, Project Development Coordinator, Public Works Department, 552-6093 Steve King, Public Works Department Director, 552-6345 Bruce Bender, City of Missoula Chief Administrative Officer, 552-6004 #