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NEWS ADVISORY June 11, 2009 For immediate release HIGGINS AVENUE PROJECT BEGINS MONDAY Access to local businesses will remain open A new roundabout intersection on South Higgins Avenue where it meets Beckwith Avenue and Hill Street is only three months away. Work on the project will begin Monday, June 15, as crews begin setting up detours for through traffic on South Higgins between Strand Avenue and Plymouth Street. The detour will be fully in place Tuesday evening. Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians will still be able to patronize their local businesses, including the Grizzly Grocery shopping center, Great Harvest Bread Co. and the Dairy Queen. Federal economic stimulus money is funding the new intersection, which will clean up a long- standing traffic problem where Beckwith crosses Higgins Avenue at the triangle intersection of three major streets. It will also provide better neighborhood connections east and west from Mount Avenue to the University of Montana neighborhood. Safety and convenience will both improve. The Montana Department of Transportation is administering the project in coordination with the City of Missoula Public Works Department. Knife River is the contractor. Knife River crews will mark through-traffic detours for the project beginning Monday, as follows: Trucks and through traffic should use Brooks Street-Stephens Avenue-South Avenue to avoid the area. Southbound traffic should leave Higgins Avenue at Brooks Street. Northbound traffic should leave Higgins at South Avenue. Local traffic will use Plymouth Street-Park Street-Strand Avenue around the construction zone. Traffic will leave Higgins at Plymouth on the north end and at Strand on the south side of the zone. Drivers should pay special attention to a new stop sign in both directions at Mount Avenue and Park Street. Local businesses in the area will remain open, and traffic will be able to use Higgins Avenue. ---PAGE BREAK--- “We are working with the Department of Transportation to reduce the inconvenience, and we want everybody to remember the businesses are open,” said Public Works Director Steve King. “We’re working together to get this done as quickly and safely as possible to fix the traffic problem at the crossing at Higgins and Beckwith.” The project time frame is June 15 to Sept. 14. Missoula Police Department Patrol Captain Chris Odlin asks drivers to remember there will be a detour learning curve. Allow extra time and drive safely. Officers will work with the construction company and watch for places that may need to be changed for public safety. For problems with the detour, call project manager Glen Frost or project superintendent Wes Higgs at Knife River at 532-5250. For traffic problems, call Greg Amundsen at the Missoula Police Department at 552-6305. The Missoula City Council chose a roundabout for the intersection because roundabouts can move traffic volumes through the intersection with fewer and shorter delays than a conventional stop-and- go traffic signal. Modern roundabouts also reduce motor vehicle crashes. The Higgins-Hill-Beckwith roundabout will calm traffic and improve safety near Paxson School. For media interviews or questions, call: Steve King, Public Works Director, 552-6353 Gregg Wood, Project Development Coordinator, Public Works Department, 552-6093 Ginny Merriam, Public Information/Communications Officer, 552-6007 # ---PAGE BREAK---