The City of Billings is seeking $200,000 in Coal Impact Grant funding for the 25th Street Bridge over the Montana Rail Link (MRL) tracks, which would connect Montana Avenue in the historic district of downtown Billings with the Minnesota Avenue Old Town Neighborhood District. The City applied for the grant in September but was not awarded any funds during the Coal Board application review process in October. The grant may be applied for again and both City and County officials suggested that staff reapply for the grant. Staff needs approval by the City Council to re-submit this Coal Impact Grant to the Coal Board by the December 1st deadline.

This bridge will provide the connection to the bike lanes that have been striped along South 25th St. that will eventually link to the Interstate Underpass and the existing trail through Coulson Park along the Yellowstone River. BikeNet has received two small initial grants for the bridge from the Homer and Mildred Scott Foundation for $5,000 and from U.S. Bank for $2,500, for a total of $7,500. The bike/pedestrian bridge project will be using an existing, restored, old Carnegie steel bridge structure that had a span across Rock Creek back in the early 1900’s.

The Old Town Neighborhood on the south side of the tracks recently organized with the goal of rejuvenating the properties along Minnesota Avenue, and the bridge is an important feature to link the two streetscapes on Minnesota and Montana Avenues. It will allow citizens and tourists safe and easy access to shops, restaurants, events, and tourist attractions on both sides of the tracks, as well as the use of a large parking lot on the south side of the tracks where large recreational vehicles can park when they access Billings from Interstate 90. Currently there are no parking lots in the downtown area for tourists with these large vehicles to park and access the amenities located in the downtown vicinity. The bridge is included in the Framework Plan for Downtown Billings and also part of the Old Town Neighborhood plans.

The bridge is also identified in the Heritage Trail Plan, which is a comprehensive trail system plan fist adopted as the BikeNet Plan in 1995 after extensive public input. With the addition of the bridge in downtown Billings, the existing Heritage Trail paths and network enables visitors and residents to participate in a broad range of outdoor activities, provide a safe route across the railroad tracks along with wheelchair access for residents of bordering neighborhoods, and makes the Yellowstone River greenway available to the historic and/or cultural tourists who may be visiting the Billings Depot or other downtown sites. The City of Billings will lease the land from MRL on the south side of the tracks for the parking lot. The funds generated from this parking area will be used to maintain the lot and bridge structure. Staff needs approval by the City Council to re-submit this Coal Impact Grant to the Coal Board by the December 1st deadline.

The Council may:

• Approve the request to apply for the grant; or
• Not approve the request.  If the City Council does not approve this grant application, the City would need to seek additional funding sources to complete this pedestrian connection.

The 25th Street Bridge Project is estimated to cost approximately $625,000, with an additional $125,000 for the construction, paving and lighting of a parking lot on the south side of the railroad tracks. Funds for the parking lot might be secured through the Parking Advisory Board with approval by the Mayor and Council. BikeNet has already secured $7,500 from previous grants for the project. The City of Billings is requesting $200,000 from the Coal Impact Grant Application. Additional funds are being sought through private organizations, CTEP, and GO Bond funds.

Staff recommends that Council approve the re-submittal of a Coal Board Grant for $200,000 to help fund the 25th Street Pedestrian Bridge Project.