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Missoula County approves bond and easements to advance regional trail projects
Summary
Commissioners approved a $500,000 trails bond allocation for the City of Missoula’s Grand Creek Trails project and accepted a donated right-of-way for the Blue Mountain Rec-area connector as part of preparations for a statewide grant deadline.
Missoula County commissioners voted to approve a trails bond expenditure to support the City of Missoula’s Grand Creek Trails project and accepted a donated public road and utility easement to advance the Blue Mountain Recreation Area connector.
The actions move two pieces of the county’s trail network forward: the bond money will fund the northern anchor of the Grand Creek trail system and the donated easement secures a missing right of way needed to connect the Bitterroot Trail to the Blue Mountain recreation area. Staff said the easement donation aligns with an upcoming statewide grant deadline in April that the county plans to meet.
County staff described the Grand Creek project as a “first, northern anchor” for a larger trail system and noted the Blue Mountain connector would close a corridor gap. The staff presentation said one landowner has graciously donated the necessary road and utility easement; another easement remains to be secured to complete the corridor. Commissioners moved and seconded the actions and called for signatures; the motions carried with the board voting verbally “Aye.”
Why it matters: bonding and donated easements reduce up-front costs to the county and improve the county’s competitiveness for matching grant funds. County staff emphasized the timing: the right-of-way work is being aligned to meet the state grant application deadline in April.
What’s next: staff said one more easement remains to complete the corridor and the county will sign the paperwork for the donated easement and the bond resolution.
