By Michael Howell
About a year ago the community of Stevensville embarked on a plan to make substantial improvements to the streetscape in the primary downtown corridor. Last week Jeremy Keene of WGM Group engineering firm told the Town Council that the environmental review of the project has been completed and the next step would be to get authorization form the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) to put out bids on some of the work.
The estimated cost of the improvements is about $500,000 and will be funded through a Community Transportation Enhancement Program (CTEP) grant that was secured by the Stevensville Main Street Association. The project is being constructed in coordination with an MDT Surface Rehabilitation Project, which will re-stripe crosswalks, parking spaces, corridor center line, and fog lines in the downtown corridor.
The CTEP funded aspects of the improvement project include replacement of abandoned driveways with new sidewalks to remove the trip hazards; the installation of curb extensions at three intersections (Eastside Hwy and Main, 2nd and Main, and 4th and Main); the installation of electrical conduit and electrical pull-boxes underneath all new curb extensions for future street lighting; addition of approximately five new parking spaces; the rehabilitation of existing tree wells; and the installation of landscaping elements and street furnishings, such as benches, trash cans and bike racks.
Certain elements of the project were eliminated or reduced in consideration of public comment and funding restrictions. The idea of changing the parking angle from the existing 60 degrees to a 45-degree angle was abandoned due to safety considerations about vehicles backing out of the parking spaces. The idea of using textured concrete on the crosswalks was eliminated due to budget considerations. The idea of mid-block crossings was also eliminated due to cost concerns and questions about their practicality. The scope of vegetative landscaping was scaled back due to concerns about maintenance.
According to Keene, bids for the initial work could be let by mid-April and awarded by mid-May. Construction could begin as early as June 1st. The MDT paving overlay and re-striping project is scheduled to begin mid-July.