The sequencing for the downtown drainage construction has changed.

During the Oct. 10 City Commission meeting, Chris Gaub, city public works director, said the project would progress on Central Avenue and in mid-November, city staff and the contractor would decide whether to shut down for the winter.

On Oct. 28, Gaub told The Electric that the plan had changed.

Under the modified plan, Capcon, the contractor, has stopped work on Central Avenue east of the 3rd Street intersection for the winter.

Downtown storm drain construction shifting to 3rd Street

Instead, work will continue on 5th Street North between 2nd Alley North and 2nd Avenue North.

Gaub said the project is still scheduled for completion in spring/early summer 2027, ahead of the July 4 parade.

“This segment is particularly well suited for late-season construction because it consists solely of storm sewer improvements and does not require roadway reconstruction, water main work or temporary water service connections for adjacent properties,” Gaub said.

Only one of the originally planned half-block segments on 5th Street will be completed this year, Gaub said, and construction will be limited to installing storm drainage infrastructure, including a utility trench and localized pavement restoration needed to connect the new system to existing infrastructure.

According to Gaub, the revised construction schedule:

• maintains project momentum and supports timely completion of the overall project
• avoids the operational challenges associated with temporary water service systems during colder weather
• minimizes winter construction impacts to downtown businesses and prevents additional disruptions along Central Ave until next spring
• eliminates the risk of leaving a section of Central Avenue unpaved through the winter if paving operations are affected by weather conditions

Gaub said city staff coordinated with Kellie Pierce, Downtown Great Falls Association director, who had no concerns with the revised approach.

City Commission approves $4.6 million downtown drainage project

Capcon staff also communicated directly with some affected downtown businesses and the contractor told city staff the businesses supported the updated plan.

Over the summer, the project shut down part of Central Avenue and 2nd Street North, both of which border Tracy’s Family Diner.

John Barnes, an owner of Tracy’s, Electric City Catering and Homestead 1909 in Annie’s Taphouse, told The Electric that construction was tough on their businesses, “especially Tracy’s, where we saw about a 40 percent drop in business.”

He said Homestead 1909 and Annie’s also suffered slower sales during the construction.

Barnes said he’s hoping now that the roads around his businesses have reopened, that customers will return.

The closure outside Tracy’s and Firefly Salon reopened on Sept. 15 as the construction shifted to the eastern half of the 200 block of Central Avenue and the intersection with 3rd Street closed.

Downtown drainage project to close portions of Central Avenue this summer

In May, City Commissioners approved a $4,636,298 contract to Capcon Construction for the third phase of the downtown storm drainage improvement project.

This phase includes four blocks of new storm drain mains and replacing two and a half blocks of aging water mains and two and a half blocks of deteriorating streets, plus some replacement of curb, gutter and sidewalk.

This phase continues adding storm drain inlets and increasing underground pipe capacity.

The area includes 2nd Street North from 1st Alley North to Central Avenue; Central Avenue from 2nd Street to 4th Street; 4th Street North from 1st Alley North to Central Avenue; 5th Street North from 1st Alley North to Central Avenue and from 2nd Avenue North to 2nd Alley North. The third phase also includes water main improvements and street reconstruction on 2nd Street North from 1st Alley North to Central Avenue, and along Central Avenue from 2nd Street to 4th Street.

The project includes a new storm drain main in Central Avenue, 2nd Street North, 4th Street North and 5th Street North.

An existing undersized storm drain main in Central Avenue will remain alongside the new, larger main.

Central Avenue and 2nd Street North have aging water mains installed in the 1890s and street surfaces in need of repair. Those improvements were included in this phase of the project to minimize repeated construction in the area.

The contract required closing only one half-block of Central at a time during construction and maintaining at least a 5-foot width of open sidewalk, according to the city, to minimize disruption to downtown businesses.

Downtown drainage project to close another intersection, block [2025]

Temporary water is used on Central Avenue and 2nd Street during the construction.

The contract required that all work on 2nd Street, Central Avenue and 4th Street be completed before a winter shutdown, according to the city.

Storm drainage work on 5th Street may take place in the spring of 2027, according to the city.

The contractor couldn’t start the project until July 6 to avoid conflict with the parade.

The project was designed to address the increase in short-duration, high-intensity rainfall events that have caused flooding downtown in recent years, prompting multiple complaints from property owners who experienced flooding in their basements and lower levels.

City approves contract for downtown drainage improvement project [2025]

Great West Engineering completed a basin study in December 2020 for the downtown area, assessing the existing storm drainage piping and helping to identify system deficiencies and recommendations for improvements.

The first phase of the project began in 2023 and included new storm drain inlets and increasing underground pipe capacity. The area included 3rd Street South from 4th Avenue South to 2nd Avenue South; 3rd Avenue South from 3rd Street South to 4th Street South; and 2nd Avenue South from 3rd Street South to 5th Street South.

City considering TIF funds for downtown drainage project [2023]

The second phase was done in 2025 and continued adding storm drain inlets and increasing underground pipe capacity. The area included 3rd Street South from 2nd Alley South to Central Avenue, and 1st Ave South from 3rd Street South to 5th Street South. This phase also included water main, street reconstruction and handicap ramp reconstruction along 1st Avenue South from 3rd Street South to 5th Street South.

Staff briefed city commissioners on the project during a February work session and also presented it to downtown property and business owners in the construction area.

Commission to consider amendment to downtown plan for drainage projects [2022]

The city received three bids for the project ranging from $4,636,298 to $5,877,627, with Capcon submitting the lowest bid.

The storm drainage improvements are partially funded with $1,817,581.60 of downtown tax increment financing funds and $730,997.80 of storm utility funds, plus $1,747,019.40 of water utility funds and $340,699.80 of street funds.