The project will take two years to complete. Workers will first begin to build half of the new, five-lane bridge while leaving the old bridge open to traffic. Once the new portion is complete, traffic will be routed on to it while the other half of the bridge is built. When it’s done, the bridge will double in width and Russell Street will be five lanes, including a center turn lane, to Dakota Street. Currently, the bridge is only two lanes wide and the road is only three lanes wide and traffic is often congested.

There will be a dedicated bike lane going each way, and there will be a new undercrossing beneath the street at the Milwaukee Trail pedestrian path. There also will be new pavement and new sidewalks throughout the project.

HDR Engineering, a national firm with an office in Missoula, is doing the work on the new bridge, while WGM Group has been hired for the roadway, the retaining wall and the traffic signals. There most likely will be a new traffic signal at the intersection of Wyoming Street and Russell.

Allan Frankl with Dick Anderson Construction said that the construction of the underpass likely will cause some traffic re-routing.