MISSOULA - The official dedication of the Beartracks Bridge on Monday, Oct. 10 means there will be some changes for drivers making their way around downtown Missoula.
The official ceremony is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. at the south end of the bridge on Higgins Avenue.
There will be an opening prayer and song, various speakers, and the unveiling of new interpretive signs explaining the bridge’s namesake.
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes elders and other tribal members will then take part in a procession across the bridge.
They will follow the same route their ancestors took when the U.S. government forcibly removed them from their historical territory in 1891.
The day's events will conclude with a powwow at 2:30 p.m. in Caras Park featuring drums, dancers, food trucks, tribal vendors and educational materials.
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Séliš-Ql̓ispéCulture Committee, Missoula County and the City of Missoula are inviting the public to take part in the community celebration on Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
The ceremony will require the following road closures on Oct. 10 from approximately 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Third Street from Myrtle to Higgins Avenue
- Higgins Avenue from Fourth Street to Front Street
- Front Street from Higgins Avenue to Ryman Street
- Ryman Street from Front Street to Caras Park
**Third Street from Myrtle to Chestnut (will not re-open due to ongoing construction)
Additional information about the Beartracks Bridge can be found here.
