GREAT FALLS — The River Drive South section of the River’s Edge Trail may be getting an upgrade soon thanks to the River’s Edge Trail Foundation and the Montana Department of Transportation.
Len Warren has been in the community for 40 years, and he has seen the River’s Edge Trail from its beginning.
Warren said, “It was fun to watch it develop through the years.”
Together with his dog Berkley, Len continues to walk the River’s Edge Trail.
Warren said, “He enjoys it just about every day.”
However, walking along River Drive South is confusing. The path loops up around the pool, snakes by the train tracks, and, for a while, isn’t even along the river.
Jim Wingerter, Great Falls District Administrator for the Montana Department of Transportation said, “What this will do is provide a more direct line, a better connectivity with the trail, and provide safety, which MDT is always a champion to provide.”
Wingerter laid out the plan to realign the trail.
Wingerter said, “So what we’ll be doing is that River’s Edge Trail will follow essentially the west side of River Drive, along the river there, and it will actually cantilever out a little bit into the river underneath the railroad tracks there.”
The project is being done in partnership with the River’s Edge Trail Foundation, which says it is the most complex and expensive project they’ve ever undertaken, with state and federal funding.
Wingerter said, “There are a number of people that are interested in this project, have a vested interest in this project, and want to see this completed as soon as possible.”
Warren, for one, is thrilled with the idea.
Warren said, “The parts along the river are much more enjoyable.”
And he’s not worried about the potential traffic.
Warren said, “We deal with traffic diversions all the time with constructions. We live with it and then it’s done.”
The project is expected to go up to bid on February first, 2026, to be started in the summer of 2026.
Warren said, “Have some patience with this, thank you for allowing us to do what we do, and we’re working for the citizens of Montana here and keeping them safe.”
Learn more about the River’s Edge Trail Foundation by clicking here.