Viewpoint: East Missoula roads need fixed before more development

Andrea Phillip

I live in East Missoula and am concerned about the development in the article by Jean Curtis of April 26. Thank you for bringing that information forward and making it available.

The area to be developed, the pastures next to I-90, is unimaginable to live in as far as I am concerned. Over the years traffic on I-90 has grown so prolific that it is very loud and annoying. I can't even imagine living as close to the highway as it is proposed for the new development cheaper units.

Each year the highway noise grows. I would not buy a home here today due to the I-90 noise pollution. East Missoula has apparently become a use it, abuse it, and forget it part of the county for our Missoula County government.

Years ago, when the city sewer was put into East Missoula, we were told our streets would be restored and repaved but that has yet to happen. The never-ending chuck holes just get refilled haphazardly each year, meaning not all of them, with the fill of those done wearing off and out quickly. The streets remain bumpy and dangerous.

However, my point is that we have been told consistently by the county that there is no money to fix our streets. Given all the Missoula projects we are taxed for, and pay for, we feel lied to. The truth is that it is just not a priority for Missoula government to honor their word concerning East Missoula streets.

Now the proposal for the development includes the use of Sommers Street for the new development traffic, to be accessed off Highway 200 which runs through East Missoula.  How will Sommers' maintenance and safety be insured? Will the maintenance really happen?  The proposal needs to include fixing Sommers Street where it accesses Highway 200.

The proposal also needs to detail how it will fix the Sommers/Highway 200 intersection in order to handle the large growth in traffic to keep pedestrians and drivers safe.  Turning from Sommers onto Highway 200 is currently a busy turn and needs improving, perhaps with a roundabout, if development goes through.

I have no reason at this time to believe any of the development promises will actually be honored, but certainly not the promises that will result in getting East Missoula roads maintained properly, including Sommers, or those adding staff to our already overworked, understaffed, and under paid police supervision.

I was born in Montana and grew up in Missoula. I am sick of seeing projects proposed by out of state developers who only want to benefit financially from our housing desperation at the cost of our community, city and state; who want to run through vague incomplete proposals under our noses. I don't want Missoula to have the mess that is currently exponentially challenging and changing Bozeman.

I am angry that we in East Missoula have no voice whatsoever in the development proposal. We have no elected East Missoula representation. I can just see the out of state developers rubbing their hands together in glee, knowing we in East Missoula have no official say in what they will do.

To build the development without giving us any say or vote in the matter is so flagrantly abusive and conniving. All who live in East Missoula will be affected by this besides all who daily travel Highway 200 to and through East Missoula, Milltown, and Bonner.

Andrea Phillip