In cooperation with Missoula County, The City of Missoula, and The Montana Department of Transportation, DJ&A was awarded a contract to design an 8-mile, multi-use path between the two communities of Missoula and Lolo, Montana. DJ&A began work on the Missoula to Lolo Trail in 2012 when awarded a $120,000 feasibility study. DJ&A subsequently was selected to provide engineering design, surveying and construction support services. Although the prominent feature of this project is an 8-mile, 10’-wide, multi-use path, the project also included approximately 4,700 linear feet of curb and gutter and an additional 3,000 square yards of sidewalk.

The primary purpose of this project was to provide a safe route for pedestrians, commuters, recreationalists and long-distance cyclists along one of the area’s busiest corridors. This project highlights DJ&A’s integral role with the completion of key segments of the Bitterroot Trail over the past 5 years. Throughout this time, DJ&A coordinated closely with MRA, Parks & Recreation staff, City officials, Development Services staff, and other project stakeholders. As a result of careful and persistent planning, the Missoula to Lolo trail provides an improved multimodal connection, with commuter, recreation and health benefits.

Key Services

• Feasibility study to determine trail route
• Wrote Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) application and the Transportation Infrastructure Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant application
• Topographic survey and mapping along corridor
• Led public engagement efforts to coordinate needs of nearly a dozen interest groups and concerned citizens, including hosting two public meetings and the development of a project website to inform the public on project progress
• Designed approximately 2,000 linear feet of ADA-compliant sidewalk, with 29 ADA-accessible curb ramps, multiple highway crossings, and a retaining wall
• Produced design for a 10’ wide, multi-use path located on top of existing fill slopes with slopes in excess of 1:1.
• Upgraded existing highway crossings by adding Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) voice pushbuttons, retroreflective borders on traffic signal heads, improved pavement markings, and reconstructed curb ramps
• Extensive environmental reporting and permitting
• Wetland delineation

Value Added

DJ&A’s TIGER application successfully yielded over $5.5M for the project, one of only two trail projects to be funded nationally, from the U.S. Department of Transportation.