Missoula Mayor Boards the Bus to Promote Bike/Walk/Bus Week

By Dana Green, 4-20-06

Mayor John Engen plans to officially kick off Bike/Walk/Bus Week on Monday by leaving the car in the driveway and hopping on the bus.

Mayor Engen will board the Mountain Line bus system from his home in the upper Rattlesnake to get to work. And it won’t cost a dime, since the bus is offering free rides all week. His message: Everyone in Missoula should try taking alternative transportation for just one day.

On Monday, I’ll be trying it for one day – we all can (do that),” Engen said.

Engen admitted he still had to pull out the bus maps to figure out which line to take to his downtown office. “I have no idea – I haven’t checked yet,” he said. “I’ve been used to driving in Missoula for 40 years.”

And with a late meeting scheduled on Monday, the mayor has yet to determine when the last bus runs. “I need to figure out how I’m going to get home,” he said with a laugh.

Some local bloggers have grumbled that the Mayor’s “just one day” campaign is undermining the core message behind Bike/Walk/Bus Week – let’s give it the ol’ college try for five days in a row – but Engen doesn’t see it that way.

“If we all took transit at least once a week it would make a huge difference,” he said.

Bike/Walk/Bus Week runs from April 22 to April 29. Events going on around town include free treats at Good Food Store, raffles, and discounts at the Canoe Rack, Meadowsweet Herbs, and other businesses. A full schedule of events, and a list of participating sponsors, is online at www.bikewalkbusmissoula.org. [End of article]