Sha-Ron Parking Access
Share your thoughts on a new parking lot for river recreation!
Missoula County proposes to build an overflow parking lot and connected pedestrian trail directly northeast of the Sha-Ron Fishing Access Site on the Clark Fork River in East Missoula. One of the most popular river access sites for floaters, boaters and other recreationalists in the summer, Sha-Ron currently has a small, 25-vehicle parking lot, so many users park their vehicles along the shoulder of Highway 200. This creates an unsafe environment for pedestrians and vehicles on the narrow roadway, which has speed limits of 45 and 55 mph.
The proposed lot would hold 68 vehicles, reducing the number parked along the highway, and it would connect to the river access via a 0.2-mile shared-use path. The proposed parking area is planned to have portable bathroom facilities screened by a fence or barrier.
Planned construction of the project is scheduled for the spring of 2023 and is estimated to take about two months. The goal is to have the parking lot available for the 2023 summer float season.
Once the construction is complete, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks could manage the site through a recreation permit issued from the Montana Department of Transportation, which owns the right-of-way. Missoula County will maintain the trail between the overflow parking areas.
Share your thoughts on the design!
This project is open to public comment, which will help the team understand community perspective and add important context to the planning discussions. If you have specific comments that relate to the design of the Sha-Ron parking access, please submit a comment in the box below. We try to respond within one week.
Who's Listening
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Phone 406-258-4818 Email sstack@missoulacounty.us -
Phone 406-258-4981 Email ccrowser@missoulacounty.us
Fully Support this project and the expanded parking lot. I do agree, that the speed limit could be lowered to 35 until Marshall Canyon Rd. too. It is too bad, with all that work done last year at the Marshall Canyon Rd. a bike/ped path wasn't installed, I understand that may have been a bigger issue with MDOT. Thank you for making this river access better for everyone.
If the speed limit was lowered to 35mph past Marshall they would much safer for everyone
Please lower the speed limit to atleast 35mph. I have almost been run over numerous times in that area!
So dangerous right there it should be 35mph to marshall canyon
Thank you for the update! I do however share concerns that others have expressed about the area’s current and projected traffic. These changes will undoubtably increase overall traffic in the area, adding to an already dangerous situation. Please consider extending the 35 mph speed limit well past the Sha-Ron turn off in order to prevent what is currently a disaster in the making. Hope the project goes smoothly!
Please lower the speed limit to 35 mph past Old Marshall Grade Rd for the safety of all of us. I live incredibly close to this and it’s crazy how many wild and unsafe driving events I’ve witnessed due to the current high speed limit. There is no reason at all for the speed limit to be so high so close to family neighborhoods and so close to town. Please keep the folks safe Missoula, and easily cut down on emissions.
We must extend the 35 mph speed limit beyond Marshall Canyon Road! Way too dangerous to have people going 55 mph.
I live near where this will be created and feel that the speed limit should be reduced to 35 past Marshall grade road if this proposed parking lot is going to go in. I also think a turn lane should be added to the highway for people pulling into this proposed parking lot. I think that the plan is good. However, that area has been a nesting area for geese for a long time. The current situation with people parking in the highway is very dangerous and I’ve come very close to hitting intoxicated people fumbling around their vehicles.
It is way too dangerous having people flying past at 55mph. The speed limit should be lowered to 35mph past Marshall Canyon.
The 35 mph speed limit zone needs to be extended beyond Marshall Canyon Road. This parking lot project is an expensive bandaid to the real problem here which is the speed limit increasing from 35 mph to 55 mph in a residential zone with multiple recreational accesses!
This looks like a great project, thank you for taking it on! Hopefully it can also have very clear signage for use, directions and best practices.
Love this project!!! I always worry every summer when driving by Sha-Ron about pedestrians running out into traffic. This will help with traffic and injuries. Great project.
Sounds good!