Workshop Looks at Land-Use and Missoula’s Transportation Future

By Emily Darrell, 11-14-07

More public transportation. More bike lanes. Higher density housing developments. Fewer traffic jams. Is this the future of Missoula County?

The broad consensus of attendees of the Envision Missoula workshop held at the University of Montana Tuesday night agreed that it ought to be.

The workshop, sponsored in part by the Office of Planning and Grants (OPG), offered Missoulians a chance to share their visions of what Missoula will look like when the population eventually doubles to 200,000, and to discuss how questions of land-use are tied to Missoula’s transportation future.

The data gathered at the workshop—which will repeat Wednesday and Thursday—will be used to help inform Missoula’s 2008 long range transportation plan update.

In his introduction Tuesday night, Tim Watkins of the consulting firm Envision Utah, urged each of the tables of eight to think of itself as “a miniature democracy.”

Armed with a map of Missoula, a set of magic markers, rolls of colored tape, glue sticks, and chips representing development, each table had to design its ideal Missoula times two, then, continuing with the school-ish theme, present it in front of the group.

At my table, Table Six, all members were adamant about avoiding the sort of scenario Watkins said would occur if Missoula continues to grow in its current sprawling way—100 new square miles of developed land, doubled traffic times, and 30 percent more time spent driving.

“We need to approach transportation in a carbon neutral way,” said Jeff Smith, setting the tone for Table Six’s plan.

“We need to think outside the California model,” Smith said, “of the tyranny of the single occupancy vehicle.”

All table members agreed that there would be no more five acre estates in Missoula’s future. Single family homes would have to rest on smaller lots and high density apartment buildings would have to go up, not just in Missoula, but in Frenchtown and Lolo. A mix of commercial and residential development throughout the county would help ease automobile dependence and transit would extend throughout the county. Existing agricultural lands would be preserved.

New developments were planned in Miller Creek and up the Rattlesnake, as well as more high density housing downtown and near the university. Even with all these developments, however, the table had trouble placing all 100,000 new residents.

Some table members, including Jeff Stevens, wanted to see a light rail route. All members agreed many more bike trails and bike lanes needed to be added. Table member John Fletcher said he wanted to see a highway extend around Missoula so that those heading north out of Ravalli County could bypass the city altogether, thereby easing congestion. Although this idea was more contentious than the others, Fletcher’s bypass made its way onto the map.

When each table presented its map at the end of the night it was much easier to see the similarities between them than the differences. There was a general trend for greatly increased transit, bike lanes and trails. Density and infill proved much more popular than sprawl. There were many mentions of light rail.

A representative from one table said that his group had outlined an “overarching philosophy more important than the actual map.” One tenet of this philosophy?

“Human contact,” he said.

The city is slated to have a draft proposal of the plan ready in February 2008, at which point citizens will get the chance to give their input.

The Envision Missoula workshops continue Wed. Nov. 14 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Thurs. Nov. 15 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. (You need to attend only one, not all three.) All workshops will be held in the University Center Ballroom North at the University of Montana. For more information and to RSVP contact OPG Transportation Division at 258-4989. More information can also be found at www.co.missoula.mt.us/transportation/lrtpu1.htm.