City updating its complete streets policy; debates priorities

Martin Kidston

(Missoula Current) When it comes to transportation policies, opinions on what should take priority often generates a wide range of thoughts, and the city is now trying to thread that needle as it updates its complete streets policy and how it prioritizes needs.

Missoula's complete streets policy was last updated in 2016 but now, with the new Unified Development Code in hand, the city is working to bring the policy up do date with current codes.

“It's this idea that public streets are designed and maintained for all travelers regardless of age, mobility or mode of transportation,” said Devin Filicicchia, one of the city's transportation planners.

City regulations require it to apply the new policy to every transportation improvement project to create safer and more accessible streets for all users. It calls for ADA compliant sidewalks, boulevards, street trees and bike lanes, and it considers on-street-parking and driveways.

It also considers stormwater and water-quality, reducing urban heat islands and opportunities to place green infrastructure within the public right-of-way.

“We were actually one of the first communities to have this policy in place, and it's a broader view of how to approach designing and building our infrastructure to ensure it accommodates all modes of transportation,” said City Council member Mirtha Becerra. “Overall, it's a very comprehensive plan and the updates reflect the needs our community more so than in the past.”

But like every transportation plan, opinions on where the policy excels or falls short aren't hard to find. Among other things, the policy places priorities upon certain uses when conflicts arise, such as limited right-of-way. It sets the construction of housing and continuous ADA sidewalks as the top priorities, bike lanes in the middle and driveways and on-street parking at the bottom. It doesn't mention motorized transportation among the priorities.

Council member Kristen Jordan suggested the policy draft failed to prioritize pedestrians.

“It doesn't feel like we're prioritizing pedestrians by aligning it with the Unified Development Code,” she said of the policy update.

Aron Wilson, the city's transportation manager, said City Council has long indicated that housing was its top priority, and the new policy was crafted to reflect that. He said the decisions the city makes regarding right-of-way can impact what's possible to build on adjacent parcels.

“We wanted to make sure we are allowing for the affordable production of housing, and that's a consideration in the street design,” said Wilson. “We don't want conflicting goals and policies that we have to follow.”

Some concerns came down to the public right-of-way, which in some areas is limited. If purchasing additional right-of-way proves cost prohibitive, which it does in many cases, then the new policy will help guide what's prioritized within the existing space.

“When considering a project, if right-of-way is limited, what's the cost of additional right of way, what's the budget, and what can be done within the existing right-of-way?” said Wilson. “If we don't feel like we can design what we need within the exiting right-of-way and there's an opportunity to acquire more, then we would move forward with that.”

Other lobbies have also weighed on the policy update including the American Heart Association, which said safe and accessible streets make it easier for people to become physically active while improving access to schools, businesses and services.

Others backed the update in general and praised the city for considering complete streets. The Missoula Institute of Sustainable Transportation (MIST) said other alternatives should be considered given the city's goals toward Vision Zero and its push to increase non-vehicle modes of travel.

“I don't think housing belongs on this list,” Bob Giordano, director of MIST, said of the priorities list. “I think we could discuss building housing in the public right-of-way. Our streets are really wide. Part of that is from the horse and buggy days being able to make u-turns.”