[MCN] Safe and Accessible Downtown Streets? Add your voice!

[mist at strans.org]

Proposal for safe and accessible streets in Downtown Missoula:
A 3-lane Higgins and a 3-lane Broadway
Make your voice heard in the Downtown Master Plan

Missoula values safe and accessible streets, active transportation and  
a healthy community. Higgins and Broadway through downtown seem to go  
against these values: too many people crashes and people injured,  
disappearing bikeways and blocked car flow. We can fix these  
challenges by changing both streets to three lanes instead of four.

Changing a 4-lane street (2 lanes in each direction) to a 3-lane  
street (one lane in each direction with a center turn lane) removes  
the double threat hazard to pedestrians, gives space to create  
bikeways, improves access to transit and generally improves overall  
car flow (inner lane of a 4-lane is blocked by left turning drivers).

Missoula has completed two successful four lane to three lane  
conversions: W.Broadway in 2005 (from California to Orange) and  
N.Higgins in 2010 (from Broadway to the XXXX's). The greatest benefit,  
in our opinion, has been safer and more accessible pedestrian  
crossings, helping to end a string of fatalities on W. Broadway (five  
in seven years).

We now have an opportunity to extend the Higgins and Broadway 3-lane  
sections through downtown. The Downtown Master Plan is being updated,  
and your voice matters. Comment at  
www.missouladowntown.com/contact-us-2/ , attend the public workshops  
on Jan 15, 16 or 17, 10am to 7pm, at the downtown Public House and/or  
attend the kick off design session on Monday, Jan. 14th, from 5pm to  
7pm or 7pm to 9pm, at the DoubleTree.

The Riverfront Neighborhood Council voted 34-0 in support of a 3-lane  
Higgins, the City of Missoula states, "City Public Works supports the  
extension of a 3-lane Broadway from Orange to Madison Street and  
3-lane Higgins from S. 5th Street to Railroad Street", and changing  
these streets to 3-lanes is supported by policy such as Complete  
Streets, the 2016 Long Range Transportation Plan, and the Our Missoula  
Growth Policy.

More design options for the downtown plan:  river trail connections,  
pedestrian plazas, permeable paving, modern roundabouts, protected  
intersections, alley improvements for walking and biking, passenger  
rail, bike share and car share.

Video on 4 to 3 lane conversions:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs7jHvh7v-4&vl=en

How would you like to make streets safer and more accessible in  
downtown Missoula?

Proposal contact: Bob Giordano, Missoula Institute for Sustainable  
Transportation, mist at strans.org