On Monday, April 6, the City of Missoula will start construction on a two-month project that will improve pedestrian safety on a walking route to Chief Charlo School on 23rd Avenue.

Construction chief Doug Harby said the project has been under consideration since the school was opened over 18 years ago.

"Parents who live down on 23rd to the Foothills area have been requesting a safer pedestrian route for their children who have to walk up 23rd to get to school," Harby said. "We have a grant called Safe Routes to School and other sources to build a sidewalk system on both sides of 23rd down to Foothills."

The improvements include narrowing the street from its current 40-foot width to 29 feet with new curb and sidewalk on both sides.

The contractor,Knife River, plans to work on one side of the roadway at a time in approximately 800-foot intervals and then move to the next section of roadway. The contractor is not required to work on both sides of the roadway at the same time.

Short local detours will be in place. Northbound through traffic will be detoured from 55th Street to Hillview Way and Garrett Street. Southbound traffic on 23rd Avenue will be maintained during construction. Local access to the properties within the construction zone and the side streets will be permitted during construction.

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