Missoula construction workers will finally begin the third and final phase of reconstruction of Third Street starting May 17. Construction Project Manager Doug Harby said the new Third Street will be a great improvement in function and will add capacity to carry traffic and new bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

"Starting the third phase of Third Street—which is the section from Curtis to Reserve Street—we're starting on it Sunday night. We're going to do some milling on the asphalt at night," Harby said. "One of the difficulties with this stretch of project is from Davis to Reserve Street, we can't detour the traffic. So what we're doing is we're coming in at night and we're going to start milling out the asphalt."

Harby said he and his crews will continue that process into next week. After that, it’s on to putting in draining structures…

"I think we have 14 crossings on the street and we'll have to work with local access during that project," Harby said. "We'd expect the concrete work to start in June and then continue through. Then the street department will move back in and prep and pave probably in September."

Harby said the $1.2 million project is funded by traffic impact fees, the City’s Road District and curb and sidewalk program assessments.

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