Pathways and Trails Masterplan
Missoula County commissioners voted to adopt the final Pathways and Trails Master Plan at their Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, public meeting.
Missoula County commissioners voted to adopt the final Pathways and Trails Master Plan at their Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, public meeting.
Planning regional bicycle and pedestrian connections!
The Pathways and Trails Masterplan will direct development and ongoing maintenance of paved pathways and trails to increase active transportation in Missoula County outside Missoula city limits.
Pathways and trails include shared-use paths (paved routes that are separated from roadways), major sidewalks outside of Missoula's urban core and similar active transportation facilities.
What is the plan? The Missoula County Pathways and Trails Masterplan is a long-range planning tool to determine gaps and identify opportunities for improvements. It is a visionary document that sets the values and goals for future investments, an opportunity for staff and the public to weigh in on the future of pathways and trails in the county, and a fresh look at regional bicycle and pedestrian connections outside the City of Missoula. This plan has a specific focus on the county's rural communities.
The resolution of intent for this plan was adopted on Thursday, Oct. 27. The final public hearing of the Pathways and Trails Masterplan will take place at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at the commissioners' meeting. Find the commissioners' public meeting link.
Please note: We heard from a number of residents in support of the Butler Creek Trail Project and urging a re-evaluation of its ranking within the plan; specifically related to traffic safety and as a fire evacuation route (resiliency). Staff reviewed the comments and concur that the ranking should be increased from a resiliency standpoint. The safety criteria is based on crash data and roadway speed. These factors did not warrant a change related to the safety evaluation, given this same criteria is applied across all trail projects within the plan.
Who's Listening
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Phone 406-258-4964 Email tross@missoulacounty.us
Removed by moderator.
Greetings! I am writing as a Butler Creek area resident concerning the proposed Butler Creek Trail Plan. I live in the West Pointe subdivision, which, currently has 60+ homes occupied, and is going to some day become four times this size--one of the largest subdivisions in the state, in fact. We currently have no trail amenities in the area and have been waiting to see a trail built for years and year. Meanwhile, we walk along Butler Cr Road under often dangerous conditions--no shoulder, bad visibility, and no walking paths at all. There's no choice but to jump into the bushes when two cars are passing each other at the same time. Dangerous, really, especially if you are not longer 20. We greatly need this new trail! I can assure you that many many folks will use it each day, included people working at the Smoke Jumpers down on Broadway, who also use the road and the MacArthur Drive hill for exercise. Please do look ahead as well to the time when West Pointe subdivision is built out and 600-750 residents are in the neighborhood and need places to walk and bike safely. Kindly note as well that $140,000 has already been granted to this project through the good work of the Butler Creek Trail Association and moreover, Mr Hanson has granted an easement to the county to build the trail through his farm, near to the road. Please don't squander this wonderful gift or the donated grant funds. We desperately want this trail to go through -- it is a most popular project up here where I live, with everyone hoping for this long awaited outcome! Thank you for listening and giving full consideration to the merits of having a trail here for all to enjoy.
Sincerely,
Judith Rabinovitch
Patton Ct
West Pointe Subdivision
Missoula
Hello! We moved into the Butler Creek area one year ago. Since then, we have observed large biking groups, several single bikers, and those who walk/run up Butler Creek Rd on a daily basis. We have stopped walking on Butler Creek Rd. as it is simply too dangerous. Cars and trucks fly down this road as I don't think the drivers expect to see people using BC. The two developments on the east side of BC have grown and more people are recreating using BC. There is no sidewalk or path to use for safety.
It's my understanding that land was DONATED for the purpose of putting in a bike/walking lane. And, the Butler Creek Trail Assoc. has already procured funding for exactly that purpose.
I truly hope something is done in the name of safety before a pedestrian is hurt.
Thank you for your consideration on this matter.
Occasionally, my wife and I ride our bikes and walk with our dog on Butler Creek Road. We would do those things more often if it weren't for the safety issues highlighted by other commenters. We also drive on Butler Creek road to get to our home in the Westpointe neighborhood. Please consider making it a high priority to begin work on the Butler Creek trail, especially the portion from Desmet School to the entrance roads for the Westpointe and Circle H Ranch neighborhoods.
Hello! I live just off Butler Creek Rd in the West Pointe subdivision and am writing to express my full support for the Butler Creek Trail Project, which my family and neighbors have been looking forward to for years now. From conversations in the neighborhood I have found that everybody I've spoken to would want to use this trail on a regular basis. My wife and I already walk along Butler Creek Road and find that, while it is a beautiful place to stroll, it is somewhat dangerous, with a distinct lack of safety on account of the absence of shoulders, clear sight lines, and of course a sidewalk. Smoke Jumpers also seem to walk or run this road, and there are lots of bikers as well, and they would greatly benefit from having a decent, safe trail. Cars and trucks travel at speed and the road is narrow and pressed with bushes on one or more sides. When a vehicle passes, one has to step into the grasses and bushes and muddy patches to avoid possibly being hit. Many of us up here are older folks, and this makes things even more precarious. We note that the Hanson Family has donated land from the Ranch, a very generous gift which should not be turned down or ignored, as this would set a poor precedent for the County. The Butler Creek Trail Association has already raised $140,000 in grant monies for this project, an indication of the strength of our interest in seeing it come to pass. Please consider all these aspects and the popular support already registered in surveys. We respectfully request that you accord this trail the highest possible priority and thank you in advance for your help and support in seeing this project come to fruition. Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Tim Bradstock
Patton Ct
Missoula 59808
Things to consider when prioritizing funding and project timing for the Butler Creek Trail and why it should be high on the list for trail projects.
1) Butler Creek Trail association has grants and funding totaling over $140,000.00 to get the trail project going.
2) The Hanson ranch has donated land for the trail which will help with the funding aspect of the project.
3) My wife and I run/walk on the Butler Creek road 3-5 times a week. The roadway lacks shoulders, has poor sight lines and traffic along the road tends to go over the speed limit all safety concerns for people using the road for walking/running.
4) Butler Creek Development plans to build hundreds of more homes in the area which will substantially increase the use of Butler Creek road for traffic and pedestrian use increasing the odds for accidents to occur between pedestrians and vehicles without a dedicated pedestrian trail along the road.
Butler Creek Road needs a trail for pedestrian safety. There is no sidewalk and hardly any shoulder. It is a safety concern while walking because there are several places in which cars are unable to see pedestrians and bicyclists.
The Butler Creek Trail project should be at the top of the County's priority list. It's an extremely dangerous corridor with an accident waiting to happen. There are a ton of people who utilize this road for recreation (walking and cycling mostly), however it's a very tight roadway with ZERO shoulder and absolutely no sidewalk! With the increased number of people up Butler creek (60+ new homes and counting within the past few years), the proximity to the newly expanded Desmet school and the twisty winding roadway with zero sight lines, shoulders or sidewalks...the Butler Creek Trail Project desperately needs to be prioritized. Plus isn't there already donated land (Hanson ranch and the Butler Creek Trail Association), $145K in grants allocated...this seems like a shovel ready project that is needed by the community.
The Butler Creek Road Trail proposed project is desperately needed for multi-use transportation. Pedestrians and cyclists are currently using the roadway, causing a dangerous situation for all.
We would love to see the Bulter Creek trail go over to Grant Creek and connect to the rattlesnake. This would allow folks to travel safety through the canyons. Butler Creek road has no shoulder with several blind spots.and definitely is unsafe to travel on foot or bicycle. I would recommend the trail be made of recycled rubber pellets with boarders to help cut down on washouts. Asphalt could be use where necessary.
Thank you for my consideration.
Butler Creek Road needs trails for pedestrian safety. More pedestrians and cyclists are using the roadway, which has no shoulder, no sidewalk, no trail, and short sightlines. This is very dangerous and needs major improvement!