Reserve Street
Community Input Forum
In January 2020 the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization hosted a Reserve Street Community Input Forum to gather community input around the question, “What will improve people’s experience with the Reserve Street area?” In addition to learning about public involvement during the planning process, there were three learning stations where participants had the opportunity to ask questions and learn about; How is Missoula approaching transportation safety on Reserve Street, Plans for Reserve Street, and Land Use and Traffic. There were also two sharing stations where graphic recorders documented participants current experience of Reserve Street and how they would envision the future of the corridor. The information gathered at this event, focus groups, and interviews will be used to inform future projects of the MPO. Scroll down for more information about the forum and click here for the full event program. View the FAQs from the Community Input Forum here.
Decision Points of a Public Project
Illustration by Josh Quick
Learning Stations
How is Missoula approaching transportation safety on Reserve Street
Expert: David Gray
Description: Safety is one of the most important issues or needs that the City, County, State DOT, and Metropolitan Planning Organization are committed to addressing. Transportation safety can impact frequency as well as severity of crashes, for people of all ages, mobility, and economic status. Crashes can result in significant individual and community impacts on health, social and economic costs. In order to address this issue, the MPO has a community-wide Transportation Safety Plan that will lead us to effective, efficient solutions. Within that plan, there are three primary emphasis areas based on a comprehensive analysis of 10 years of crash data. Reserve Street is a state highway that accommodates a high level of pass-through and external to retail vehicle trips. The sheer volume of traffic on Reserve Street increases the probability of crashes occurring. However, there may be countermeasures that could be implemented to reduce crash severity. Based on the analysis in the safety plan, staff look for the most cost-effective solutions to known safety issues. The safety session gave an overview of how staff are looking to improve Reserve Street traffic safety through this strategic approach. Notes from this session can be found here.
Plans for Reserve Street
Expert: Aaron Wilson
Description: Land use and transportation connections are essential ingredients for understanding and solving the problems related to future growth pressure. Planning for growth means identifying development locations and patterns that support a compact, walkable, and connected urban environment. Establishing the land use and transportation systems necessary for multi-modal travel will be vital for accommodating new residents and the trips they will need to take for jobs, services and recreation. In Missoula, the foundation for both land use and transportation planning is underway. Reserve Street is a key component of many of these plans, and remains a central focus of all City, County and MPO planning processes.
In order to accomplish our ambitious goals, we must be strategic as a community in how we invest scarce transportation dollars. We must recognize that we cannot build our way out of congestion simply by widening streets and increasing speeds. There is a better, more efficient approach, as outlined in the LRTP and the City and County Growth Policies, that envisions compact, mixed-use development served by multi-modal transportation facilities that are accessible by all ages and all abilities. Reserve Street will be one of many key corridors to achieving that future. Notes from this session can be found here.
Land Use and Traffic
Expert: Andrew Hagemaier
Description: There is a lack of general understanding of the relationship between development patterns and congestion. Certain types of development patterns are much more likely to result in congestion than others. The development patterns along Reserve Street are among the most auto-centric development patterns in the city. As long as the development pattern along Reserve Street favors the automobile, congestion will be a problem. Small changes to infrastructure can help with safety, but any investment to the roadway to alleviate congestion will yield very little in return. But, changes throughout the city that favor walkability, biking and transit will help alleviate congestion community wide. Notes from this session can be found here.
Sharing Stations
At these stations participants shared their current experience of the Reserve Street Area and how they envision Reserve Street in the future. The Graphic Recorder illustrated these thoughts for a visual representation of how people perceived their current experience with Reserve Street and their envision for the corridor.
What is happening on Reserve Street today?
What do you like?
What have you seen?
What have you experienced?
How do you use this area?
Do you live here?
What’s your neighborhood like?
Do you shop here? Do you commute here?
What is this area like for your currently?
Notes from this session can be found here.
What would you like to see Reserve Street look like?
What would make your experience better?
What would help you enjoy this part of town more?
Notes from this session can be found here.
