BOZEMAN — As a former Bobcat, I remember the days when Grant was a street. But as of the fall semester, 2025? All the future Bobcats will know is a new and improved Grant Walkway.
I asked students, “Do you like campus better now that it’s a garden and a walkway?” One student told me, “I do like it better. It’s much more visually appealing.”
It’s safe to say the students of Montana State are enjoying this new pedestrian corridor where Grant Street used to be.
“I love the wildflowers. It adds a lot of color to campus, and I also like the seating areas,” says MSU senior Stella.
For some newer students, such as Tyler and Silas, who I spotted playing hacky sack in one of the new grass areas, they never got to see campus while Grant was a road.
I asked if they like having the walking corridor. “Definitely, yeah,” said Tyler. “There’s a lot more room for activities.” Silas added, “I would say so. It unifies the campus. If there was a road here, it would be kind of weird with 11th already being a road through campus.”
Grant Street has been closed to drivers since 2019 after two gyms collapsed under the weight of heavy snow. Construction on this new pedestrian corridor started in the summer of 2024. Now, it’s nearing completion.
“Of course, some of the big things that people are going to notice right now are the new roundabout at 7th & Grant, right behind the MSU SUB, and the new SUB loop,” shared Michael Becker, interim vice president of communications at Montana State.
Becker tells me other noticeable changes include improvements to Veterans’ Park, open areas for student gatherings, as well as unique details in this walking corridor — such as art, plants, and designs — all representing “A walk through Montana.”
WATCH: MSU students react to $6.5 million Grant Street development
“You can see when the finished project is there, the landscaping will reflect a walk from the east side of the state to the west side of the state.”
This $6.5 million project isn’t expected to be fully completed until projects on the corner of 11th and Grant are finished, including the new nursing building and the renovation of Montana PBS. But for students such as Stella, who’s dealt with her fair share of construction, she says it’s a price worth paying.
“The improvements, including the student rec center — just everything being added to campus — have made it that much more inviting for new students. I want to be on campus now.”
