As the cleanup and restoration of the rivers began, the Missoula County Commissioners foresaw the need for redevelopment planning to enable a smooth transition to the changed landscape. In 2002 they appointed the Milltown Redevelopment Working Group to lead this process.
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Milltown Gateway Promises to Be a Showcase |
This conceptual design shows trails which could connect to the confluence area as well as up the Blackfoot. A picnic shelter offers a beautiful spot for a families to gather. Community members have expressed approval for redevelopment at the Gateway area.
It's finally time for restoration to begin at the Milltown Gateway. On April 14 the raw land within the County's right of way on both sides of the Black Bridge was hydroseeded with a mixture of fast growing annual rye and slower germinating natural fescues.
Just how the Blackfoot River will shape its channel is not yet known. A hundred years of reservoir conditions led to large accumulations of sediments which the river is now removing. Estimates are that the final river channel may be several feet lower than it is today.
Restoration will begin at higher elevations. This spring native shrubs and trees will be planted above expected high water levels by a team of restoration workers from Missoula County and the State joined by local volunteers. The first planting will be done on May 9.
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Piltzville - Rustic Road Loop Trail a Favorite |
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The Piltzville Trail is the first of many trails envisioned for the Bonner Milltown area. Residents whose property bordered the trail had misgivings when the project was first proposed, but as trail construction progressed they became some of the trail's most enthusiastic advocates.
The community celebrated the Piltzville - Rustic Road loop with a Super Fun(d) Run on April 18, 2009.
This project was largely built with funds from EPA and from the federal transportation act which were secured by Sen. Max Baucus. The Milltown Redevelopment Working Group submitted a grant proposal to Sen. Baucus on behalf of the County.
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Bridge Connects Old with New |
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Click images to enlarge
The old highway 200 bridge, built in 1926 under reservoir conditions, had to be removed because it would not be stable once the Blackfoot River became free flowing. The Redevelopment Working Group submitted a grant proposal to NRDP on behalf of the county to replace the bridge with a new one which would not have piers in the channel.
Since the NRDP does not fund historic preservation projects, the bridge design did not match the historic nature of the old bridge. Unhappy citizens lobbied the County Commissioners to retain the historic look of the old bridge. A new design utilizing a span of the old bridge but without piers in the river pleased everyone, but cost $2 million more than had been raised.
To meet the shortfall, the Commissioners diverted $1 million designated for new trails from the Transportation funds secured for the County by the Working Group in an earlier grant request. EPA furnished the rest of the funding shortfall.
The new Black Bridge was dedicated in November, 2008.
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